Reply #150: Why do you keep asking that question when you have been answered? [View All]

[me b zola]

on edit, I thought I would refresh your memory:

deaniac21 (849 posts) Fri Jul-28-06 01:53 PM
Response to Original message

3. I wonder why they call it "depleted"?




------------------ ------------------ -----------------


MadHound (1000+ posts) Fri Jul-28-06 02:38 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. Because through it's former use in a reactor
It has expended most of its radioactivity. It is safe enough in solid form, it is an alpha and beta emitter, both of which can be blocked with either your skin or a piece of cloth. You can have a chunk of it in the same room with you for weeks and months and suffer no ill effects.

However when it is stuck on the end of a missle and is blown to dust, that dust is inhaled or ingested and the skin can no longer block the radiation, and being a heavy metal, it is toxic.

All in all it is a slow motion genocide that keeps on killing long after the war is done.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=1756856