The development of approaches to setting exposure limits for intakes of radionuclides (invited paper)

The development of approaches to setting exposure limits for intakes of radionuclides is reviewed. The early limits related to body burdens and maximum permissible concentrations of radioactive substances in air and water, calculated for critical organs and deterministic effects. The present limits are based on effective doses and stochastic effects, and relate to intakes of radionuclides for which age-dependent dose coefficients are given. (author)