Nuclear toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of radionuclides on health. Two aspects must be considered: radiotoxicity, i.e. the effect of ionizing radiation emitted by radionuclides; and the chemical toxicity of the element or compound in question.
Animal experimentation, and increasingly also in vitro models, makes it possible to acquire knowledge about the behavior and effects of radionuclides in the body. Extrapolation of these data to humans, and the epidemiological monitoring of populations occupationally or environmentally exposed, provides a better understanding of the health risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation.