Still dangerous after 30 years - Uranium particles from DU weapons

[madokie]

With the use of DU munitions in both Iraq and Afghanistan it has to be seen as a war crime. madokie

(snip)

In other words, the uranium oxide particles from the testing were found to be strongly resistant to further corrosion; and the corrosion product meta-ankoleite is itself highly insoluble. So even 30 years after firing the particles would still present an inhalation hazard if resuspended.

This finding fits with the results of a study around a former speciality metals factory in Colonie north of New York. Researchers there showed that particles produced between the 1960s and 1980s were still intact and present in the environment.

In that case the particles had been produced through the incineration of DU, not by its use in weapons. However this new study demonstrates that DU residues from munitions use are similar in composition and persistence.

That these particles can survive for so long in the comparatively wet conditions of the UK and northern US suggest that particles in the arid conditions of Iraq may be even more long-lived.

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2261643/still_dangerous_after_30_years_uranium_particles_from_du_weapons.html

[PCIntern]

1. I never understood the long-range power of this website!

Maybe I better get a screen shield!

On edit: sorry...it was a hanging curve over the plate....

[Fumesucker]

2. More like T-ball

[Arcanetrance]

4. I seriously thought I accidentally clicked on the lounge when I saw a title with DU weapons

My mind didn't make the connection to depleted uranium

[Fumesucker]

3. No one could have predicted that heavy metal particles in the environment would be dangerous

/The Very Serious People

[PCIntern]

5. I know...

who'da thunk it?

the fact is...they didn't give a good goddam what happened or happens to anyone...

[ReRe]

7. They didn't even care....

... about our soldiers who inhaled that poison and lived in it for almost 9 years. Remember the number of guys/gals who spent several tours over there? Using depleted uranium damn sure is a war crime.

[unhappycamper]

6. It will be dangerous for a while; the half-life of uranium is somewhat longish:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium

In nature, uranium is found as uranium-238 (99.2739–99.2752%), uranium-235 (0.7198–0.7202%), and a very small amount of uranium-234 (0.0050–0.0059%).[4] Uranium decays slowly by emitting an alpha particle. The half-life of uranium-238 is about 4.47 billion years and that of uranium-235 is 704 million years,[5] making them useful in dating the age of the Earth.

[Mnemosyne]

8. K&R nt