Re: Uranium and fetal exposure

[carol marcus <csmarcus@ucla.edu>]

At 08:56 AM 7/14/00 -0500, you wrote:
>At what ingestion levels does uranium pose a hazard to an embryo/fetus?
Does uranuium cross the placental barrier?  
>
>thanks for your help
>
> P Milligan
> pxm@nrc.gov
> 301-415-2223
>

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Dear Pat and Radsafers:

Information on soluble uranium is in NCRP 128, "Radionuclide Exposure of the
Embryo/Fetus", pp200-202, 1998.  

In Spiers FW, "Radioisotopes in the Human Body:Physical and Biological
Aspects", 1968, Academic Press, New York, he considers the usual form of
uranium, which is uranium oxide, U3O8.  Particles are about 1 micron in
size.  If inhaled, they stay in the lung, migrating to pulmonary lymph
nodes.  If ingested, they go through the GI tract unabsorbed.

It would appear then that the usual form of ingested uranium is not a fetal
hazard.  

You probably have NCRP 128.  If you need something from Spiers' book and
can't get a hold of it, e-mail me or call me at (310)277-4541.

Ciao, Carol

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