Re: DU - request for scientific (!) information

["Bjorn Cedervall" <bcradsafers@hotmail.com>]

>A DU round striking a soft target (e.g. truck or car) would generally pass 
>straight through.  A round striking a hard target (e.g. tank) ignites on 
>contact and 10-35 % is converted to oxide in the respirable range.
---
I yesterday finally got in touch with a man who was involved in the 
previously mentioned TV news program (around Jan. 5) about DU etc. The 
instrument used (for measuring radioactivity from DU rounds) was not a 
geiger counter. Instead it was a scintillation NaI based detector. This man 
had been measuring for DU in Kosovo and what I write here is as I 
interpreted what he said.

This man pointed out that at least 95 % (probably much more) of the DU 
rounds never exploded. He also explained this about rounds going right 
through cars without exploding. His general impression was that the 
countryside is not covered with DU dust (he hardly found anything - and I 
understand that he can be considered an expert on the measuring technique) 
and he questioned strongly that there could be any remaining toxic effects 
worth mentioning (they use gloves however whenever they touch DU - to avoid 
getting oxides etc on their skin). He had been involved in studies of 7 of 
13 hit tanks and none of them had been hit by DU weapons. (I guess the 13 
tanks to a particular area where he had been).

OK - this was my personal interpretation only - please add or correct 
anything if it seems relevant,

Bjorn Cedervall   bcradsafers@hotmail.com

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