Summary
Uranium is the 92nd element on the periodic table, it is naturally occuring and is radioactive. This radiation is very small in naturally occuring uranium however. This element is still poisonous thought and will cause kidney damage in cases of uranium poisoning. It can also cause birth defects and have impacts on psychological abilities / development long term. Certain types of cancer in the bones or the liver have been documented as well. It is important to note that this type of poisoning is only really done through ingestion of uranium as it does the majority of its damage this way.
Description
Uranium is not like a bacterial or viral infection, nor is it a genetic problem that is passed down or mutated into over generations. It is very uncommon to contract this type of poisoning in day to day life. Most of those who do get poisoned are either war veterans or those working in close proximity to uranium as a part of their careers or jobs. Getting uranium poisoning can lead to a variety of adverse health effects such as kidney problems, liver problems, bone problems, birth defects, psychological impairment among a few.
Exposure can still happen in exceptional circumstances like active warzones or other activity involving uranium where it usually would not pose a danger. An example of one of these exceptions would be that of uranium fallout from tests or accidents involving uranium and related materials.
One such example of an outbreak that occurred was during the heyday of American nuclear tests in the mid 1900’s. Thousands of mining workers were responsible for extracting uranium ore from the earth to be used in these tests and programs. These workers were exposed to uranium via contact is their work which lead to inhalation and ingestion of the material in a far higher quantity than the average person would experience. The result was an uptick in uranium poisonings in this groups of workers. They were not notified of the risks by the government and would end up filing suit along with other citizens who lived downwind of the fallout clouds created during nuclear tests. This resulted in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to provide compensation for those affected by the outbreak resulting from the mining and tests.
Some ways to help prevent exposure to uranium are to avoid the consumption of root and other subterranean plants if they have been grown in soil high in uranium content. Uranium will not be cooked off like bacteria and as such trying to cook contaminated food is not advised as it will have minimal impact. Ingestion is a primary form of contracting uranium poisoning so avoiding an excess of ingestion or inhalation will suffice for the majority of people that live in areas where this could be a concern.
Frequent hand washing and the cleaning of oneself will also help in the reduction of exposure by washing away any uranium present on the body after activates that involve getting in the soil or other dirty physical activates in places where concentrations are high in the ground / dust.
News Articles
“Renal toxicity and biokinetics models after repeated uranium instillation”; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-31073-1
This is a scientific paper / article on uranium exposure and how it affects people and animals. Workers in the nuclear power industry can become exposed to uranium during the processing of nuclear fuel. Uranium can lead to kidney problems which snowball into larger issues if not treated.
“The same depleted uranium munitions that poisoned Iraq now headed to Ukraine”; https://peoplesworld.org/article/the-same-depleted-uranium-munitions-that-poisoned-iraq-now-headed-to-ukraine/
This article is about the use of depleted uranium munitions in the ongoing war and how they have many adverse health effects of the people living in places of conflict. These munitions are desirable for their effectiveness and utility in armor piercing on the battlefield. Deplete uranium can exposure can lead to all sorts of negative health impacts such as cancers, and the degradation / loss of organs due to exposure
“What You Need to Know About Depleted Uranium Exposure in Veterans”; https://www.hillandponton.com/depleted-uranium-meant-protect-not-harm/
This article is another about depleted uranium that goes into more detail on the purely heath side of things. Neurological problems, kidney damage, birth defects, and more are all linked to uranium exposure. War veterans are at particular risk for this kind of poisoning due to their use and proximity to depleted uranium munitions that are commonly used in conflicts.
Reference List
– “Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry”; “Uranium”; atsdr.cdc.gov; https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/toxzine/uranium_toxzine.html
– “National Library of Medicine”; “The Toxicity of Depleted Uranium”; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2819790/
– “United States Environmental Protection Agency”; “Radionuclide Basics: Uranium”; epa.gov; https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclide-basics-uranium