In recent years, the Fukushima nuclear accident, the discharge of nuclear wastewater, and geopolitical conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war and Israel–Iran tensions have underscored a growing global nuclear risk. Once released into the ocean, radioactive pollutants can migrate widely through complex physical, chemical, and biological processes, accumulating in marine biological systems and potentially affecting ecosystem stability and human health. Typical radionuclides of concern include, but are not limited to, ^129I, ^135,137Cs, ^239,240Pu, ^90Sr, ^3H, ^99Tc, and ^233,236U. These nuclides have become important targets in marine radioecological studies. Such research not only enhances scientific understanding of nuclear pollution risks but also provides critical insights for marine environmental protection and global nuclear safety governance.

Although studies on typical radioactive pollutants in the marine environment have progressed in recent years, significant gaps remain in several key areas. These include the multi-scale transport mechanisms, transformation and retention processes, bioaccumulation patterns, and ecological risk assessments. The analytical detection of certain key radionuclides at ultra-trace levels continues to face technical limitations, and high-resolution reconstructions from sediment and coral archives remain scarce, thereby hindering a comprehensive understanding of source-to-sink dynamics. In addition, current modeling approaches often lack robust process coupling and parameter constraints, limiting their predictive capabilities for potential future nuclear releases. This special issue aims to present the latest research in this field, with a focus on the full chain of processes following radioactive discharge—ranging from marine transport and geochemical behavior to biological response, environmental fate, historical record reconstruction, and predictive modeling. It encourages interdisciplinary collaboration to support the development of scientific frameworks for assessing and managing marine radioactive contamination risks.

This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, methods, and perspectives that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

• Interactions between radionuclides and marine processes: distribution, mixing, transport, transformation, import/export, removal, and scavenging

• Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of radionuclides in plankton, benthic organisms, and higher marine species

• Biological toxicity and ecological impact assessments of radioactive pollutants

• High-resolution reconstructions of historical nuclear events using sediments, corals, ice cores, and other environmental archives

• High-sensitivity analytical techniques for ultra-trace radionuclide detection and speciation

• Integrated modeling of multi-process behavior and ecological risk prediction for marine radioactive pollutants

• Science-informed policy and regulatory frameworks for marine radioactive pollution

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and novel methodologies, and welcome contributions from a global community of researchers.

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Transport, Migration, Transformation, and Biological Effects of Typical Radioactive Pollutants in the Marine Environment