International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons

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WISE Uranium Project: Depleted Uranium in Urine of Soldiers FAQ

A useful guide to uranium hazards and testing for veterans from the WISE Uranium Project http://www.wise-uranium.org.
4 October 2006 - ICBUW

* Why is DU dangerous?
* What happens to the DU once it gets into the body?
* Is DU less hazardous than natural uranium, since it is depleted?
* Is DU more hazardous than natural uranium, since it contains contaminants such as uranium-236, plutonium-239, etc.?
* Is ceramic DU oxide more hazardous than other DU oxide?
* How can the hazard from a DU exposure be assessed?
* Is monitoring of total uranium in urine sufficient, or is an isotopic analysis required?
* Can uranium-236 be used as an indicator for DU exposure?
* What about monitoring methods other than uranium in urine?
* How reliable is all this biokinetic modeling and radiation dose assessment?
* What levels of total uranium are normally found in urine?
* What levels of uranium in urine are dangerous?
* What DU levels have been found in soldiers and/or residents of past war theaters?
* What is the health hazard from past exposure to DU, based on uranium data in urine analyzed so far?

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