32
P and
33
P are important radionuclides of phosphorus with half‐lives of 14.3 and 25.3 days, respectively, and which decay via β
−
emission. These isotopes (of 23 known) have anthropogenic sources and are prepared by the enrichment of sulfur. The radionuclides are used in tracer studies primarily as phosphate, or other common phosphate forms such as “phosphate rock” or ortho‐phosphoric acid. Various labeling and therapeutic studies have been performed in the fields of biology, botany, and in clinical medicine and are mentioned herein. Radioisotopes of phosphorus can be detected by liquid scintillation counting. There is, however, limited knowledge about remediation as
32
P and
33
P are short‐lived.