Depleted Uranium
"Normal functioning of the
kidney,
brain,
liver,
heart, and numerous other systems can be affected by uranium exposure because, in addition to being weakly radioactive, uranium is a
toxic metal,
[7] although less
toxic than other
heavy metals such as
arsenic and
mercury.
[66]
"It is weakly radioactive but is 'persistently' so because of its long
half-life. The
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry states that: 'to be exposed to radiation from uranium, you have to eat, drink, or breathe it, or get it on your skin.'
[67]
"If DU particles do enter an individual, the type of danger presented—toxic vs. radiological—and the organ most likely to be affected depend on the solubility of the particles.
[68]
"In military conflicts involving DU munitions, the major concern is inhalation of DU particles in aerosols arising from the impacts of DU-enhanced projectiles with their targets.
[68]
"When depleted uranium munitions penetrate armor or burn, they create depleted
uranium oxides in the form of dust that can be inhaled or contaminate wounds.
"The Institute of Nuclear Technology-Radiation Protection of
Attiki,
Greece, has noted that 'the aerosol produced during impact and combustion of depleted uranium munitions can potentially contaminate wide areas around the impact sites or can be inhaled by civilians and military personnel.'
[9]
"The utilisation of DU in incendiary ammunition is controversial because of potential adverse health effects and its release into the environment.
[69][70][71]
Depleted uranium - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
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Depleted uranium has a very high density and is primarily used as shielding material for other radioactive material, and as
ballast. Examples include sailboat
keels, as
counterweights and as shielding in industrial
radiography cameras.
Shielding in industrial radiography cameras
Industrial radiography cameras include a very high activity
gamma radiation source (typically
Ir-192 with an activity above 10 TBq). Depleted uranium is often used in the cameras as a shield to protect individuals from the gamma source. Typically the uranium shield is supported and enclosed in
polyurethane foam for thermal, mechanical and oxidation protection.
Coloring in consumer products
Consumer product uses have included incorporation into
dental porcelain, used for
false teeth to simulate the fluorescence of natural teeth, and uranium-bearing reagents used in chemistry laboratories (e.g.
uranyl acetate, used in
analytical chemistry and as a
stain in
electron microscopy). Uranium (both depleted uranium and natural uranium) was widely used as a coloring matter for
porcelain and
glass in the 19th and early-to-mid-20th century. The practice was largely discontinued in the late 20th century. In 1999 concentrations of 10% depleted uranium were being used in "jaune no.17" a yellow
enamel powder that was being produced in
France by Cristallerie de Saint-Paul, a manufacturer of enamel
pigments. The depleted uranium used in the powder was sold by
Cogéma's Pierrelatte facility. In February 2000, Cogema discontinued the sale of depleted uranium to producers of enamel and glass.
Trim weights in aircraft
Aircraft that contain depleted uranium trim weights (such as the
Boeing 747–100) may contain between 400 to 1,500 kg of DU. This application is controversial because the DU may enter the environment if the aircraft were to crash. The metal can also
oxidize to a fine powder in a fire. Its use has been phased out in many newer aircraft.
Boeing and
McDonnell-Douglas discontinued using DU counterweights in the 1980s. Depleted uranium was released during the crash of
El Al Flight 1862 on 4 October 1992, in which 152 kg was lost, but an extensive study concluded that there was no evidence to link depleted uranium from the plane to any health problems. Counterweights manufactured with
cadmium plating are considered non-hazardous while the plating is intact.
U.S. NRC general license
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations at
10 CFR 40.25 establish a general license for the use of depleted uranium contained in industrial products or devices for mass-volume applications. This general license allows anyone to possess or use depleted uranium for authorized purposes. Generally, a registration form is required, along with a commitment to not abandon the material. Agreement states may have similar, or more stringent, regulations.
Sailboat keel
Pen Duick VI, a boat designed by André Mauric and used for racing, was equipped with a keel in depleted uranium. The benefit is that, due to the very high density of uranium, the keel could be thinner for a given weight, and so have less resistance than a normal keel. It was later replaced by a standard lead keel.
Sampling Calorimeters for detectors in high-energy particle physics
Depleted uranium has been used in a number of
sampling calorimeters (such as in the D0 and ZEUS detectors) in due to its high density and natural radioactivity.<<
