Re: Handling DU

[Shane Connor <shanec@gvtc.com>]

It may be of interest with regard to the body absorbing 
insoluble metals that there is normally little concern of 
lead poisoning from bullets left in the tissue of gunshot 
victims. In fact, most times the bullet will be left in 
place rather than risk further tissue damage attempting 
to extract it. (Unless it's life threatening where it is.)

However, I did read of one occasion where lead poisoning 
did occur from a bullet lodged adjacent to the knee joint. 
Apparently, the lubricating fluids there at the joint were 
capable of dissolving the lead to where it was released into 
the body and thus caused classic lead poisoning.

I don't know if the above would apply to DU or not, but it 
might be prudent not to rule out that the rate of breakdown 
into a form which is solubilized might depend largely 
on where the DU finally came to rest in the body. 

At 02:18 PM 1/5/00 -0600, you wrote:
>          I can't say I know much about that issue...  
>          
>          My response was to a question of handling large masses of uranium 
>          such as shields, counterweights and the like.
>          
>          I have never seen or heard of any publications which discuss 
>          chemical toxicity of insoluble material in the lung.  The issues 
>          around the retention of class Y compounds in the lung and the 
>          related dosimetery is what I have experienced.  I have had several 
>          sips of water from the Ken Skrable fire hydrant of internal 
>          dosimetery however I don't claim to be knowledgeable enough in 
>          this area to comment much further.
>          
>          You do bring up an interesting point.  I have been watching the 
>          issue of the gulf war vets with DU fragments imbeded in them and 
>          their constant positive urine bioassay measurements and the 
>          concerns over the local chemical and radiological conditions 
>          around the wound site of the imbeded DU.
>          
>          The VA has been attempting to evaluate this and I'm not sure there 
>          have been any conclusions reached or knowledge gained.  One would 
>          typically consider a solid piece of DU an insoluble form of DU 
>          however, once imbeded into tissue apparently there is a slow 
>          breakdown into a form which is solublized and consistently seen in 
>          urine at levels not typical of a class Y exposure scenario.
>          
>
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