Ondřej NovákD4 - 90

 DU is a by-product left over when natural uranium ore is enriched for use in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. It is a toxic, dense, hard metal.  During the enrichment process, most of the more radioactive isotopes contained in uranium are removed - leaving the 'left over' DU about 40% less radioactive than uranium.  DU does not add significantly to the normal background radiation that people encounter ever day. It is weakly radioactive. For example, DU is 3 million times less radioactive than radium still found in many old luminous watches and 10 million times less radioactive than what is used in fire detectors.  The extreme density of DU, together with other physical properties, make it ideal for military use in munitions to penetrate thick tank armor and in defensive armor protection. It is not a nuclear weapon.

 Depleted uranium is very dense kg/m³ g/cm3  Lead g·cm−3  Tungsten ( Wolfram ) g·cm−3  Gold g·cm−3  Osmium g/cm 3  Irridium g/cm 3  producing 1 kg of five percent enriched uranium requires: 11.8 kg of natural uranium leaves about 10.8 kg of depleted uranium with only 0.3 percent U-235 remaining

 Depleted uranium is stored as Uranium Flouride (UF6) in giant cylinders. Located in Portsmouth

 Ammunition, Anti-armor projectiles  Tank armor - sandwiched between sheets of steel armor plate  Counterweights in aircraft  Radiation shielding – medical radiation  Containers used to transport radioactive material

 This photograph most shows the different types of 120 mm DU tank shells. The two on the far left are high-explosive rounds. The pointed shells are kinetic energy projectile rounds.

 Based on credible scientific evidence, there is no proven link between DU exposure and increases in human cancers or other significant health or environmental impacts.  The most definitive study of DU exposure is of Gulf War veterans who have embedded DU shrapnel in their bodies that cannot be removed. To date none has developed any health abnormalities due to uranium chemical toxicity or radio toxicity.  It is a common misconception that radioactivity is the main health hazard of DU rather than chemical toxicity. Like other heavy metals, DU is potentially poisonous. In sufficient amounts, if DU is ingested or inhaled it can be harmful because of its chemical toxicity. High concentration could cause kidney damage.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), very large amounts of DU dust would have to be inhaled to cause lung cancer from radio toxicity. Risks of other radiation-induced cancers, including leukemia, are considered to be very much lower still.

 Inhalation: The main potential route of exposure is inhalation of DU dust, generated when DU ammunitions hit hard targets. Inhalation may lead to lungs and other organs being exposed. Those near the target immediately following impact are most likely to receive the highest doses. A potential pathway for those living in DU affected areas is via the inhalation of DU particles that initially settle in soil but are re-suspended through wind or human activities.  Ingestion: Children playing and adults working or living in former conflict zones could be exposed if they ingested, inadvertently or deliberately, DU contaminated soil. Uranium is not effectively transported in the food chain so transfer of DU from contaminated soil to drinking water or locally produced food is unlikely to harm people living or visiting the area.  Body contact: Contact exposure through skin is typically low and unimportant. Radiation skin burns (erythema) from touching DU are unlikely, even if it is held against the skin for a number of weeks. However, DU could enter the blood through open wounds or from embedded DU fragments.  Body retention: According to WHO: a) Practically all (98%) DU entering the body is excreted and never reaches the blood stream. b)Of the fraction of uranium absorbed into the blood, around 70% will be filtered by the kidney and excreted in the urine within 24 hours; this amount increases to 90% within a few days.

 Energy density by mass (MJ/kg)  Antimatter89,875,518,000  Hydrogen fusion645,000,000  Deuterium-tritium fusion337,000,000  Uranium-235 used in nuclear weapons 88,250,000  Natural uranium (99.3% U-238, 0.7% U-235) in fast breeder reactor 86,000,000  Reactor-grade uranium (3.5% U-235) light weight reactor 3,456,000  Natural uranium (0.7% U235) in light water reactor 443,000  Nitroglycerin6.38

  Thank you !