[ RadSafe ] US enriched uranium weapons caused Fallujah cancer, UK-Iraq study finds

[Dan W McCarn]

Dear James:
 
I understand your comments, and did not mean to suggest that your observations are invalid.
 
My deepest concern is that the RadSafe group is being monitored by non-professionals that have a hard time making sense of various measurements, claims and biases - with unfounded assertions as well as with quantities and units.  Thus, my conversion from mBq Kg-1 to a measurement used in regulatory context, μg/L (microgram / Liter).  Since my background includes quite a bit of geochemistry, and for my own understanding, I tend to convert values into units that I can use.  If I was terse, please accept my apology.
 
My specific concern with the Busby claim of "enriched uranium" in Fallujah and elsewhere (Lebanon) in soils is simply that based on the available data, I do not believe it, and the data do not support that assertion, not to mention that the actual values measured are quite low by environmental standards.  Unfortunately, there are those who are willing to believe regardless of the source or in-validity of the claim. 
 
Sampling soil, ground & surface water and rock is a non-trivial exercise requiring extensive training, practice and understanding of the methodology.  When little or no information is provided about sampling, no differential analysis of leached samples, nor a description and analysis of the uranium-bearing mineralogy of the soil, I am left to conclude that Busby’s work was no “study” at all in the scientific sense.
 
James, by the way, I have understood the concept of differential leachability of U-234 vs. U-238 in geomedia for decades (since 1975, at least) because of the abundant literature on uranium ore deposits and ore-forming processes. I have been, of course, a uranium geologist since 1975 although I’ve done quite a few other jobs since then (environmental hydrogeology, geochemistry, hydrology, dog & horse trainer).
 
Dan ii
 
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Dan W McCarn, Geologist
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-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of James Salsman
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 13:43
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] US enriched uranium weapons caused Fallujah cancer,UK-Iraq study finds
 
Dan McCarn wrote:
 
> After reviewing the abstract of the paper that James mentioned, the
> concentration of uranium represented by 27 mBq-Kg-1 (0.027 Bq / Kg) is about
> 1 µg/L (1 microgram / L).  Most waters have more than that.
 
I wasn't trying to imply that the West European cheeses were
contaminated, only that the uranium that they did contain had an
enriched isotope ratio, which was attributed to natural processes by
the authors. This assertion that chemical isotope separation occurs
naturally is consistent with the very different translocation rates of
uranium isotopes in the human body reported in BNWL-2500, Part 1, pp.
379-380 (1978.)
 
If chemical isotope enrichment is a born secret doctrine taboo topic,
which seems very likely to me, then fine, but it's not ethical to try
to ridicule or discredit researchers who find enriched ratios in
groundwater.  Especially when only anti-DU researchers are the ones
who are subject to such ridicule.  Especially when authorities keep
telling bald faced lies about safety, e.g.,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/nov/14/minister-sorry-dangers-depleted-uranium
 
Back to the topic, I can't find any reports of anyone looking at Iraqi
dairy products, which seems absurd given the amount of soil and
groundwater contamination studies which are published. Almost all of
the food chain studies of uranium contamination around geological
deposits and mine tailings in developed countries focus on dairy
because it's the most concentrated and bioavailable source in the
human food chain (other than the livers of Caribou that have eaten
lichens around deposits somewhere in Canada.) Domestic milk in Iraq is
entirely from goats and sheep watered from wells, so why isn't anyone
looking at Iraqi dairy?
 
Sincerely,
James Salsman
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