An examination of uranium levels in Canadian forces personnel who served in the Gulf War and Kosovo

Health Physics
E A OughK Scott

Abstract

A uranium bioassay program was conducted involving 103 active and retired Canadian Forces personnel. The total uranium concentrations in each of two 24-h urine collections were analyzed separately at independent commercial laboratories by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The mean and median concentrations were determined to be 4.5 ng L(-1) and 2.8 ng L(-1), respectively, from ICP-MS and 17 ng L(-1) and 15 ng L(-1), respectively, from INAA. The total uranium concentrations were sufficiently low so that isotopic (238U:235U ratio) assays could not be performed directly from urine samples. Isotopic assays were performed on hair samples from 19 of the veterans participating in the testing. The isotopic hair assays were scattered around the natural 238U:235U ratio of 137.8, ranging from 122 +/- 21 to 145 +/- 16 (1sigma). Due to concern expressed in the media over possible depleted uranium exposure and long-term retention in bone, a single bone sample (vertebrate bone marrow) from a deceased member of the Canadian Forces was also analyzed for total uranium content and isotopic ratio by ICP-MS. The sample was shown to have 16.0 +/- 0.3 microg kg(-1) uranium by...Continue Reading

Citations

Feb 26, 2010·Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B, Critical Reviews·Michael Aschner, George C-T Jiang
Jul 13, 2006·Health Physics·Sergei TolmachevHiroshi Noguchi
Sep 25, 2009·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·John E PattisonStuart Green
Aug 20, 2014·Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering·Agnes Šömen Joksić, Sidney A Katz
Dec 5, 2015·European Journal of Public Health·Riccardo CapocacciaSilvia Francisci
Aug 1, 2002·Journal of Radiological Protection : Official Journal of the Society for Radiological Protection·Brian G Spratt
Jun 3, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Marta GerettoAlberto Izzotti

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