[ RadSafe ] Uranium and genotoxicity

[James Salsman]

Dear Dr. Cedervall,

Thank you for your message.

> I don't understand why this discussion never ends.

Why do the ICRP -Y, -M, and -D designations consider clearance time
but not translocation route?

Why are U-238-Y compounds considered more dangerous than U-238-D
compounds?  Shouldn't each compound be considered separately?

> If genotoxicity from uranium were an issue many organisms living in soil etc should show severely mutated off-spring (earthworms, moles,...) but we don't see that - there must be more important radiological problems to deal with than this speculative (anti-evolutionary) topic. Remember that having a partner means that you are dealing with a source of natural radiation.

Do you know the chance that a newborn mole survives long enough to mate?

James Salsman