This article provides a review of iodine with regard to the basic chemistry, occurrence, speciation, separation, analysis, fate, and transport. Biogeochemical cycling of iodine in the environment is complex because iodine occurs in multiple oxidation states (ranging from −1 to +7), and inorganic and organic species may be hydrophilic, atmophilic, and biophilic. Organically bound iodine can be a
... [Show full abstract] significant fraction of total iodine in the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Nuclear-fuel reprocessing facilities constitute the major source (>90%) of ¹²⁹I released to the environment. It has been recognized that ¹²⁹I is a very important dose contributor in risk assessment because of its tendency to concentrate in the human thyroid gland, long half-life, and presumably high mobility. Speciation, input concentration, and residence time effects will influence the biogeochemical cycling of anthropogenic ¹²⁹I deposited on surface soils.