The use of actinides in the civilian industry and defense sectors over the past 60 years has resulted in persistent environmental and health issues, since a large inventory of radionuclides, including actinides such as thorium (Th), uranium (U), neptunium (Np), plutonium (Pu), americium (Am) and curium (Cm), are generated and released during these activities.¹  Controlled processing and disposal of wastes from the nuclear fuel cycle are the main source of actinide dissemination. However, significant quantities of these radionuclides have also been dispersed as a consequence of nuclear weapons testing, nuclear power plant accidents, and compromised storage of nuclear materials.¹  In addition, events of the last fifteen years have heightened public concern that actinides may be released as the result of the potential terrorist use of radiological dispersal devices or after a natural disaster affecting nuclear power plants or nuclear material storage sites.^2,3  All isotopes of the 15 elements of the actinide series (atomic numbers 89 through 103, Figure 6.1) are radioactive and have the potential to be harmful; the heaviest members, however, are too unstable to be isolated in quantities larger than a few atoms at a time,⁴  and those elements cited above (U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm) are the most likely to be encountered. Because of the impending growth of nuclear power and threats of nuclear weapon use, the amount of produced and released radioisotopes is increasing daily,⁵  as is the risk of environmental contamination and larger human exposure to actinides. Internalized actinides have, in turn, the potential to induce both radiological and chemical toxicities, leading to serious health effects. In the past few years the challenge of limiting such exposure, contamination, and subsequent deleterious effects has given rise to unprecedented interest in developing therapeutic actinide decorporation agents, as well as cost-effective bioremediation approaches for environmental decontamination.^6,7