Re: more on DU

["Jerry Cohen" <jjcohen@PRODIGY.NET>]

I agree. In assessing its hazard, DU is essentially not radioactive.

According to ICRP-30, the ALI for U-238 is 14 microcuries. Its Sp. activity

is ~3 g/microcurie.

If my math and assumptions are correct, one could therefore ingest 42 grams

of depleted uranium per year and stay within the ICRP limit. However, I

think such a dose would almost certainly result in death from heavy metal

poisoning well before the year was out. Granted, the ICRP considers only

radiological effects in setting their recommendations, but it might be nice

if they did not remain oblivious to chemically toxic effects.





> 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

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

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

> >You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

> >send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text

"unsubscribe

> >radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject

line.

> >You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/

>

> 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

>

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

> You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

> send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

> radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

> You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/



************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To unsubscribe,

send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the text "unsubscribe

radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail, with no subject line.

You can view the Radsafe archives at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/