Biological Monitoring for Depleted Uranium Exposure in U.S. Veterans

Biological Monitoring for Depleted Uranium Exposure in U.S. Veterans

BACKGROUND As part of an ongoing medical surveillance program for U.S. veterans exposed to depleted uranium (DU), biological monitoring of urine uranium (U) concentrations is offered to any veteran of the Gulf War and those serving in more recent conflicts (post-Gulf War veterans). OBJECTIVES Since a previous report of surveillance findings in 2004, an improved methodology for determination o...

[Depleted uranium: sources, exposure and health effects].

Battlefield use of depleted uranium and the health of veterans.

Depleted uranium munitions have been used in recent military operations in both the Gulf and the Balkans and there have been concerns that exposure to depleted uranium may be a cause of 'Gulf War Syndrome' and cancer clusters. We recount the properties of depleted uranium, its military uses and the situations in which personnel may be exposed. Following a review of scientific literature, the he...

BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF MERCURY EXPOSURE IN DENTISTS OF TEHRAN

In order to assess the risk for mercury poisoning in dentists, urine specimens were collected and analysed from 250 dentists (190 male, 60 female). Subject data and pertinent health symptoms were asked via a questionnaire. The results indicate that the mean and standard deviation of mercury values were 51.3± 38.0 µg/L, while 27.2 percent of dentists had levels within normal limits (0-19 µg/...

Monitoring genotoxic exposure in uranium mines.

Recent data from deep uranium mines in Czechoslovakia indicated that mines are exposed to other mutagenic factors in addition to radon daughter products. Mycotoxins were identified as a possible source of mutagens in these mines. Mycotoxins were examined in 38 samples from mines and in throat swabs taken from 116 miners and 78 controls. The following mycotoxins were identified from mines sample...