Depleted Uranium
About :
- Depleted uranium (DU; also referred to in the past as Q-metal, depletalloy or D-38) is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope.
- It is a dense metal produced as a by-product of enrichment of natural uranium for nuclear fuel.
- It is still radioactive, but at a much lower level than the starting material.
- The official definition of Depleted Uranium given by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is uranium in which the percentage fraction by weight of U-235 is less than 0.711 per cent.
Military uses :
- Uranium’s physical and chemical properties make it very suitable for military uses.
- Depleted Uranium is used in the manufacturing of ammunitions used to pierce armour plating, such as those found on tanks, in missile nose cones and as a component of tank armour.
- Armour made of depleted uranium is much more resistant to penetration by conventional anti-armour ammunitions than conventional hard rolled steel armour plate.
Health hazards :
- The potential for health effects from internal exposure is related to the amount of DU that enters a person’s body.
- Inhaled DU particles are likely cleared from the lungs over several years.
- The IAEA notes that depleted uranium is mainly a toxic chemical, as opposed to a radiation hazard.
- Particles in aerosols can be inhaled or ingested, and while most would be excreted again, some can enter the blood stream and cause kidney damage.
Syllabus : Prelims
