RE: more on DU

[Charles Picco <picco1@llnl.gov>]

I agree that the claims are bogus as well.  But please see my earlier 

calculation in terms of CED based upon the inhalation of .5g of .25% 

enriched U.



At 11:31 AM 12/17/2002 -0800, Otto G. Raabe wrote:

>December 17, 2002

>Davis, CA

>

>There is no need to discuss the internal radiation dose from depleted

>uranium because the half life of U-238 is 4.5 billion years which makes its

>specific activity tiny. Heavy metal poisoning in possible at really high

>intakes, but the radiation dose is really irrelevant.

>

>Ingestion is not much of an issue because depleted uranium and its primary

>oxides are quite insoluble. Chronic exposure of animals to inhalable

>uranium oxide makes their lungs gray, but doesn't cause cancer in any

>organs. A 5 micrometer aerodynamic diameter particle of depleted uranium

>dioxide will emit only one alpha particle every 100 days. That's not much

>compared to the normal alpha radiation exposure of the lung from radon and

>its decay products in room air.  Uranium doesn't interfere with any major

>biochemical processes, but very high intakes can damage the kidney by heavy

>metal effects. Cancer is not a known or expected effect from exposure to

>depleted uranium. Overall, uranium is less toxic than lead (uranium

>projectile residue is less toxic than lead projectile residue).

>

>I believe that claims that there is widespread effects including cancer

>from exposure to depleted uranium are bogus.

>

>Otto

>**********************************************

>Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP

>Center for Health & the Environment

>(Street Address: Bldg. 3792, Old Davis Road)

>University of California, Davis, CA 95616

>E-Mail: ograabe@ucdavis.edu

>Phone: (530) 752-7754   FAX: (530) 758-6140

>***********************************************

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Charles Picco

HEU Dosimetry Coordinator / Internal Dosimetry Technician

Hazards Control Department

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Phone:  925-422-7078

Pager:   925-423-7705   then 04543



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