Role of water in electron-initiated processes and radical chemistry: Issues and scientific advances

An understanding of electron-initiated processes in aqueous systems and the subsequent radical chemistry these processes induce is critical in diverse fields such as waste remediation and environmental cleanup, radiation processing, nuclear reactors, and medical diagnosis and therapy. This review outlines the opportunity in the scientific community to create a research thrust aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of electron-driven processes in aqueous systems. Successful research programs in radiation chemistry and condensed-phase chemical physics provide the foundation to build such an effort.