[ RadSafe ] is uranium genotoxic? (was Re: CB interview on enriched U)

[James Salsman]

Mike Brennan wrote:

>... The idea that a lab identified "enriched uranium", supposedly
> from projectiles, is absurd.  Either the people in the lab didn't
> know what they were doing (possible) or their results were
> misrepresented (also possible).

It may be absurd, but it's not the first time this has happened.
Durakovic reported an isotope ratio indicating enriched uranium
in soil samples in Afghanistan, and the UN admitted some
reprocessed fuel had made it into some DU munitions in Kosovo:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/unep81.doc.htm

Again, do you believe that uranium is a genotoxin or not?  The
literature is abundantly clear on the issue, and I wonder why
people on this list get so upset about the question.  Dr. Raabe
has stated quite clearly that uranium is not a genotoxin, and
Lt. Cherry has testified to that effect.  It seems like RadSafers
ought to be able to decide whether they believe them or the
peer reviewed literature reviews, or is that question just too
hard for a yes or no answer?

Steven Dapra wrote:

> Salsman gives a link to a paper by Craft, et al. in the Journal of
> Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 7:297317, 2004.
> In its section on "DNA Damage/Carcinogenicity," (p. 308)
>...
> Apparently Craft et al. are right alongside Dr. Raabe and
> Col. Cherry in not believing that DU is a genotoxin.

I am sending a cc of this message to Dr. Craft. I am not sure
she will appreciate how Mr. Dapra has characterized pp. 308-9 of
http://www.dmzhawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/health-overview-04.pdf

> I suspect Salsman's request that as a Navy veteran you can help
> him obtain statistics is a clever and  subtle way of insulting you

No, I honestly haven't been able to get anything out of the Birth and
Infant Health Registry, even though they were publishing annual
reports right up until 2001 when the birth defect rate for combat
versus noncombat 1991 Gulf War veterans started to skyrocket.  I just
thought Mike might be interested enough to help, too.  Does anyone
know a good FOIA attorney?

Now that it's 20 years out, will someone publish the cancer rate
statistics for those two groups?

Sincerely,
James Salsman