Depleted uranium: properties, military use and health risks

Exploring the Toxicology of Depleted Uranium with Caenorhabditis elegans

Depleted uranium (DU) is an emerging heavy metal pollutant with considerable environmental and occupational concerns. Its radiotoxicity is known to be low. However, its chemical toxicity should not be ignored. In order to explore the chemical toxicity of DU, the effects of uranyl nitrate, prepared from DU, on the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans were investigated. Chronic exposure to DU did not affect the lifespan or reproduction of the worm. DU had little effect on the physiological processes of C. elegans. Additionally, DU treatment did not make C. elegans more susceptible to UV, heat, or oxidative stress. Interestingly, chronic exposure of DU decreased the in vivo reactive oxygen species-scavenging ability through inhibiting the expression of antioxidant genes ctl-1, ctl-2, ctl-3, gst-7, and gst-10. Chronic but not acute exposure of DU induced a statistically significant degeneration of the dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons of treated worms and promoted the increase of α-synuclein aggregation and DAergic neurotoxicity. These findings may raise the public concerns regarding DU as an etiologic agent of Parkinson's disease and underline its potential neurotoxicity.

Estimation of the respiratory tract burden resulting from a prolonged inhalation exposure to aerosols of DU, based on the U in a 24-h urine sample taken years after exposure

A procedure is presented to estimate the respiratory tract burden from a prolonged inhalation exposure to particulate matter of depleted uranium, in cases where the rate of deposition is an unknown function. The precise range of possible values is identified. The calculations are based on the amount of depleted uranium measured in a single 24-h urine sample. In order to present an example, a simplified pharmacokinetical model is introduced. The results presented in this article are valid for any pharmacokinetical model represented by homogeneous linear differential equations with constant coefficients and non-zero initial values, and that clearly includes the International Commission on Radiological Protection model. In fact, they are applicable to any monitorable quantity measured over a short period of time, a monitorable quantity with a kinetic that can be described using a structurally similar system of differential equations to one describing these pharmacokinetical models.

Unique complications of foot and ankle injuries secondary to warfare

This article discusses the common complications associated with lower extremity trauma and amputations secondary to combat injuries. The complications include retained fragments, soft tissue adhesions, poor wound healing, painful bursae, neuroma formation, heterotopic ossification, and depleted uranium. Although there is some literature on these topics, most is based on noncombat injuries, indicating a need for further research into the management of these devastating injuries.