Re: Two DU articles with a different slant

[andrew_mcewan@nrl.moh.govt.nz]

Further to the discussion on the single alpha event causing cancer, I note from a Swedish Radiation Potection Institue report on DU that the maximum
mass of respirable aerosol which the lungs can accommodate is around 1 gram.  One gram of DU oxides would have a total alpha activity of around 20 000
Bq, assuming U-238 and U-234 in equilibrium.  If radon is breathed at the action level for new houses in some European countries of 200 Bq/cu m, and
23 cu m is breathed per day, the equilibrium alpha decay loading of radon daughters in the lung on my back-of-the-envelope calculation is also around
20 000 Bq.  A maximum intake of DU oxide aerosols is likely to be a one off event, and only practically possible for someone unfortunate enough to be
inside an armoured vehicle that has taken a direct hit.  The radon exposure scenario is a constant exposure level.  On this basis lung cancer from DU
exposure would be a highly improbable outcome.

Andrew McEwan

_________________________
Andrew C McEwan PhD
National Radiation Laboratory
PO Box 25-099
Christchurch, New Zealand

Ph 64 3 366 5059
Fax 64 3 366 1156
Andrew_McEwan@nrl.moh.govt.nz

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