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Pages 1-8

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From page 1...
... soldiers in or on six Abrams tanks and 14 Bradley fighting vehicles were caught in friendly-fire events that involved the use of large-caliber munitions containing DU penetrators. Some of the soldiers were injured by DU shrapnel.
From page 2...
... Using older datasets on the aerosol characteristics of the dusts and fumes produced when a DU penetrator strikes a hard target, the committee found that its estimated intakes in level I exposures were within a factor of 2 of the Capstone results. For levels II and III exposures, the committee calculated exposure rates resulting from surface contamination resuspended in the air and from incidental ingestion by using stan
From page 3...
... The difficulties included questions about the interpretation of some studies used to derive the REG values, uncertainties about the attribution of effects solely to uranium exposure, questions about the models that were used to estimate renal concentrations, and questions about the relevance of exposure scenarios in some studies to those encountered in military combat and postcombat settings. The renal uranium concentrations found in some cases after acute exposure suggest that minimal, transient effects (such as proteinuria and albuminuria)
From page 4...
... may occur at concentrations as low as 1 µg/g. Similar effects have been reported at renal concentrations around 1 µg/g in workers with chronic occupational exposure to uranium and in Gulf War veterans with embedded DU fragments.
From page 5...
... For level I exposure, the Capstone Report calculated radiation dose estimates for the five exposure scenarios. To assess the Army's calculations, the committee performed its own calculations for selected scenarios (ventilated and unventilated Abrams tank and Bradley fighting vehicle with conventional armor)
From page 6...
... However, at those levels of risk, it would not be possible to distinguish between increased cancer mortality from DU exposure and background lung-cancer rates. The Capstone Report does not provide estimates of radiologic-cancer risks for levels II and III personnel.
From page 7...
... The estimated dose would be higher for extended exposure in a vehicle with multiple perforations. The Capstone Report also does not include cancer risk estimates for soldiers who have embedded DU fragments.
From page 8...
... • For level II personnel working in vehicles perforated by DU munitions, the number of hours should be limited, and protective equipment, particularly respirators, should be used to reduce potentially important cumulative DU exposure. • If Gulf War level II personnel who had several hours of unprotected exposure to DU in perforated vehicles can be identified, they should receive health monitoring.


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