[ RadSafe ] Michael Kent on coal fumes vs. uranium inhalationpoisoning

[Kolb, William (WKOLB)]

There's too much theoretical chemistry and not enough real chemistry in
this discussion. UO2(NO3)2 completely decomposes into an oxide when
heated above a few hundred degrees C (about 500C, if memory serves but
definitely at liquid soldering temperatures). It goes from a light
yellow-green color to a deep orange just before decomposing into the
oxide. At the temperatures it would take to form UO2(NO3)2 in the first
place, I find it very difficult to believe anything but the oxide would
survive.

Bill
WM Kolb
ARINC Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of James Salsman
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 4:56 PM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl; Michael.Kent at nmcco.com
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Michael Kent on coal fumes vs. uranium
inhalationpoisoning


Michael Kent asks:

>... I suggest you go after the power plants which burn coal first.
> The population as a whole receives a heck of a lot more uranium
> from these gems, then lets say, depleted uranium shells used in
> a  specific theater half a world away.

On the contrary, the entire population of male GWI veterans -- many
hundreds of thousands of people -- are already experiencing more than a
50% increase in birth defects, increasing with time.

> ... And their is a lot of medical research that DEFINITIVELY proves 
> this!

Clusters of congenital malformations due to coal plant emissions are so
minor that I can't find any record of them -- this is the closest
mention I can find:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dop
t=Abstract&list_uids=11359199

 >>       UO2 + 2 NO + 2 O2 --> UO2(NO3)2
 >>
 >>       UO2 + 2 NO2 + O2 --> UO2(NO3)2
 >>
 >>       2 UO3 + 4 NO + 2 O2 --> 2 UO2(NO3)2

Since uranium munitions burn at temperatures well in excess of 1100
degrees Celsius, this simpler reaction is perhaps more likely:

      U + 4 O2 + N2 --> UO2(NO3)2

Sincerely,
James Salsman


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