[ RadSafe ] Bob Cherry on pyrophoric uranium munitions

[John R Johnson]

Franz

I agree. My "take" on this is

1. uranium is pyrophoric

2. it will form oxides that are ICRP Type M or S.

3. it cannot form a nitrate (ICRP Type F) unless it get into solution with
NO(sub3).

4. a major risk from exposure to soluble uranium is kidney damage, and there
are many drinking water source with uranium concentrations that will result
in kidney burdens above those possible from inhaled UNO(sub3).

5. so what's the issue?

John
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-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl]On
Behalf Of Franz Schönhofer
Sent: April 12, 2005 2:40 PM
To: 'James Salsman'; radsafe at radlab.nl; bobcherry at cox.net
Subject: AW: [ RadSafe ] Bob Cherry on pyrophoric uranium munitions


James,

I have really troubles to understand what you are asking for. Not so
much that you are asking for detailed information, but that it is
information which is not at all relevant to your obvious agenda. Killing
hundreds of thousands of people in an unjustified and illegal war is one
side - come on flamers, I will not react to any flame!!!  - but blaming
depleted uranium for a few casualities (which I categorically deny) is
another case. Especially I find it obscene to mourn a very limited
numbers of alleged victims of DU while the absolute majority of real
victims of DU ammunition have been killed instantly and not by what you
call poison gas, nitrogen compounds of pyrophoric uranium munition , UO3
species etc. This shows an unexcusable ethnic distain for those Iraqi
killed. Shame on you.

You mention "poison gas strictly forbidden by the laws of war" - what
are these laws of war? Sure not what a so called superpower carries out
right now.

However: That uranium is pyrophoric can be read in any textbook for
beginners. Pyrophoric means that it reacts with oxygen. The reaction
products, the uranium oxides are solid products and no gases, but I do
not exclude that they might be distributed in the vicinity as aerosols.
I did not know of a reaction with nitrogen, but to form nitrates would
be a rather complicated  and unreasonable reaction.

Please, explain what the laws of war are??? Before talking about DU you
should think of the justification of the wars waged by the USA without
the consent of the UNO and against all the will of the international
community. Before you blame me (flaming will not be reacted to) read
your own US- newspapers.

Your question of nitrogen compounds (as a chemist I do not know of any)
and very specially on UO3 species (is it UO3 or not?) leads me to
conclude that you are just another one of these pseudo-scientists, who
probably have studied a year of chemistry and now regard themselves as
the ultimate experts in nuclear issues or whatever else, just as
required by some umbrella organisation which finances you.

Nobody finances me, I have no political agenda except my personal points
of view, I even pay the costs for this e-mail account myself.

Could you provide your political agenda clearly, so that we know whom we
have to deal with?


Franz Schoenhofer
PhD, MR iR
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
AUSTRIA
phone -43-0699-1168-1319


> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] Im
> Auftrag von James Salsman
> Gesendet: Dienstag, 12. April 2005 13:37
> An: radsafe at radlab.nl; bobcherry at cox.net
> Betreff: [ RadSafe ] Bob Cherry on pyrophoric uranium munitions
>
> Dear Bob Cherry:
>
> After reviewing the recent archives of the RADSAFE list, a number
> of questions arise:
>
> 1.  Do you deny that pyrophoric uranium munitions produce poison gas?
> If so, on what grounds?
>
> 2.  Do you deny that the use of poison gas is strictly forbidden by
> the laws of war?  If so, on what grounds?
>
> 3.  Why has the U.S. Army never attempted to detect nitrogen compounds
> in the combustion products of pyrophoric uranium munitions?
>
> 4.  Why has the U.S. Army never detected the UO3 species of uranium
> oxide in the combustion products of pyrophoric uranium munitions?
>
> I believe the answer to that last question has to do with the fact
> that the less dense oxides, like the nitrogen compounds, waft up and
> disperse over a much wider area than the denser oxides.  And, sadly,
> the U.S. Army has only tested open-air, unenclosed burns of their
> pyrophoric uranium munitions.
>
> Now, having said all that, I feel that it is important that you know
> I have not yet formed an opinion on the use of uranium in armor, but
> I fear it would be easy for a sophisticated adversary to ignite.
>
> Sincerely,
> James Salsman
>
>
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