RE: Depleted Uranium

["Bradshaw, Keith" <Keith.Bradshaw@nnc.co.uk>]

Jay/Grant/RADSAFERs

I don't think Hooper was implying there IS any difference metabolically
between DU and nat-U.  Just look at the snippet from the original message
here:

>The labs doing the testing weren't properly equipped to detect depleted
>uranium at all, said Hooper. Whole uranium occurs in the body naturally,
and
>is easier to detect than depleted uranium. 

The meaning of this, to me, is that Hooper thinks invalid or inappropriate
analytical techniques have been used to measure DU in the urine samples.  So
I repeat- does anyone know what techniques have, in fact, been used?

Personal views only

keith.bradshaw@nnc.co.uk

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	MacLellan, Jay A [SMTP:jay.a.maclellan@pnl.gov]
> Sent:	Wednesday, November 15, 2000 9:32 PM
> To:	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:	Depleted Uranium
> 
> Grant Wilton requested enlightenment as to what, if any, difference there
> is
> between DU and natural Uranium with respect to its internal interaction
> with
> the human body.  Metabolically, uranium is uranium.  Natural uranium is
> about
> 98% U238 by mass, but almost 50/50 U234 and U238 by activity.  So, if you
> are
> concerned with biochemical actions depleted uranium is equivalent to
> natural
> uranium.  However, if you are concerned with the radioactivity, depleted
> uranium
> has only about 1/2 the activity per gram total uranium.
> 
> Jay MacLellan, CHP
> Radiation and Health Technology
> Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
> jay.a.maclellan@pnl.gov
> 
> 
> 
	END























	END


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