Health effects of embedded depleted uranium

The health effects of embedded fragments of depleted uranium (DU) are being investigated to determine whether current surgical fragment-removal policies are appropriate for this metal. The authors studied rodents implanted with DU pellets as well as cultured human cells exposed to DU compounds. Resu...

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Published inMilitary medicine Vol. 167; no. 2 Suppl; p. 117
Main Authors McClain, David E, Benson, Kimberly A, Dalton, Tom K, Ejnik, John, Emond, Christy A, Hodge, Shelly J, Kalinich, John F, Landauer, Michael R, Livengood, David R, Miller, Alexandra C, Pellmar, Terry C, Stewart, Michael D, Villa, Vilmar, Xu, Jiaquan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Oxford University Press 01.02.2002
Subjects
Animals
Humans
Medical research
Military Personnel
Military supplies
Persian Gulf War
Radiation
Rats
Rodents
Toxicity
Uranium
United States > US
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Summary:The health effects of embedded fragments of depleted uranium (DU) are being investigated to determine whether current surgical fragment-removal policies are appropriate for this metal. The authors studied rodents implanted with DU pellets as well as cultured human cells exposed to DU compounds. Results indicate that uranium from implanted DU fragments distributes to tissues distant from implantation sites, including bone, kidney, muscle, and liver. Despite levels of uranium in kidney that would be nephrotoxic after acute exposure, no histological or functional kidney toxicity was observed with embedded DU, indicating that the kidney adapts when exposed chronically. Nonetheless, further studies of the long-term health impact are needed. DU is mutagenic and transforms human osteoblastic cells into a tumorigenic phenotype. It alters neurophysiological parameters in rat hippocampus, crosses the placental barrier, and enters fetal tissue. Preliminary data also indicate decreased rodent litter size when animals are bred 6 months or longer after DU implantation.
ISSN:0026-4075
1930-613X