It is important to note that over 60 friendly-fire victims have been evaluated by the voluntary VA DU Medical Follow-up Program. DoD is currently in the process of conducting additional live-fire testing in order to further refine the exposure estimates for those troops in or around vehicles when they were hit by DU munitions. These estimates for this highest exposed group indicated that medical follow-up was warranted. Because of gaps in data pertaining to uranium oxide dust levels inside DU-struck vehicles, exposure estimates for personnel inside DU-struck vehicles at the time of impact, or immediately afterwards, were based on conservative assumptions. Health risk estimates for DU-contaminated vehicle recovery and incidental contact scenarios indicate that these exposures were well within safety standards. The DecemEnvironmental Exposure Report, DU in the Gulf (II) includes the Army's latest health risk exposure estimates for various Gulf War exposure scenarios. These are recognized weaknesses that are being addressed. The main areas that were not adequately addressed before the Gulf War were the medical implications of embedded depleted uranium (DU) fragments in people and inhalation exposure estimates for friendly fire incidents, recovery activities, and incidental contact scenarios. Burn tests and other evaluations performed under simulated battlefield conditions indicated that the health risks associated with the battlefield use of depleted uranium were minimal and could be reduced even more by simple, field-expedient measures, especially avoidance of depleted uranium-contaminated vehicles and sites. The Department of Defense has comprehensively studied the environmental fate of depleted uranium both before and after the Gulf War.
This document was updated in September 1999. In May 1989 the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry published a Toxicological Profile for Uranium reviewing and summarizing the key uranium health effects literature. While natural and depleted uranium are considered chemically toxic, they are not considered a radiation hazard. This is relevant because chemically, depleted uranium (DU) has the same properties as natural uranium, while being 40% less radioactive. The health effects of uranium have been studied extensively for more than 50 years. However, the amount which remains in the body depends on a number of factors, including the amount inhaled or ingested, the particle size and the ability of the particles to dissolve in body fluids. Taken into the body via metal fragments or dust-like particles, DU may pose a long-term health hazard to personnel if the amount is large. When fired, or after "cooking off" in fires or explosions, the exposed DU rod poses an extremely low radiological threat as long as it remains outside the body. Thus, DU does not significantly add to the background radiation that we encounter every day. While gamma rays are a form of highly-penetrating energy, the amount of gamma radiation emitted by DU is very low. Alpha particles, the primary radiation type produced by DU, are blocked by skin, while beta particles are blocked by the boots and battle dress utility uniform (BDUs) typically worn by Service members. DU emits alpha and beta particles, and gamma rays. DU is approximately 40% less radioactive than natural uranium. This is not the case under most battlefield exposure scenarios. Heavy metals (uranium, lead, tungsten, etc.) have chemical toxicity properties that, in high doses, can cause adverse health effects. DU that remains outside the body can not harm you.Ī common misconception is that radiation is DU's primary hazard. Depleted uranium (DU) is a heavy metal that is also slightly radioactive.
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