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Tuesday, 22 April 2008 |
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It appears that most commentators have been disoriented by the effects of radio active depleted uranium, leaving just its chemical properties. But the projectiles made thus break, volatilize and / or ignite on impact, resulting dispersion in the atmosphere, sometimes in the form of an aerosol of fine dust of the metal and its oxides. These particles, downward-cover objects and soil. After re-suspension of air (airborne) fortuitous, they can be inhaled or dilutees, days, weeks or even months and years later. There is therefore no need to be inside or close to a tank when it is achieved for risk of absorbing these hazardous materials.
In this connection, the Merck Index (1), one of the "bibles" world of chemistry, said in its ninth edition (1976): "Warning, uranium and its salts are extremely toxic. A dermatitis, kidney damage, acute necrosis blood can cause death (2). " Another "bible", Hand book of Chemistry and Physics (3), describes it as: "... highly toxic, both from the point of view chemical and radiological. The maximum concentration of its derivatives insoluble (oxides, for example) recommended as acceptable in the air (based on its chemical toxicity) is 0.25 milligram per cubic meter (4). "Under 'Limitations of exposure to air contaminants," we read: "Uranium (natural), soluble and insoluble compounds = 0.20 milligram (expressed as pure U) per cubic metre." For comparison, lead arsenate was 0.15 mg or 0.20 mg, 0.40 mg to Phosgene, arsenic at 0.50 mg. This was announced in the 1983 Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety (5), which situates "between 0.55 mg and 1.12 mg per kilogram body weight (kpc) the lethal dose for half of the subjects' experiment, rats and rabbits, "closer to that (1 mak hydrogen cyanide gas, Zillion B, which will kill a man.
This book describes at length lesions that characterize chronic intoxication and its metal oxides: pulmonary fibrosis, changes in blood with decrease in the number of red blood cells and white blood cells (lymphocytes). A nervous system involvement is possible. Later, it is a question of nephritis, chronic liver disease, gastritis and other signs.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 30 June 2008 )
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