Actinides in the environment

Actinides are elements that exist in the seventh row of the periodic table. They include very heavy elements like uranium, plutonium, and americium. These elements have special properties that make them useful in a lot of things - we can use them to make nuclear reactors and bombs, for example.

But, when these actinides get into the environment, they can be harmful to living things like plants, animals, and people. This can happen in a few ways, such as by accidentally spilling radioactive waste or by nuclear testing.

Once these actinides are in the environment, they can remain radioactive for a very long time. This means that they can continue to emit harmful radiation for years, even decades! This radiation can cause mutations in living things and cancer in humans.

Scientists are working hard to find ways to clean up the environment after accidents or nuclear testing, but it can be a very difficult task. It's important for us to be careful with these materials to ensure that they don't harm the environment or us.