A public health statement summarizes information about a hazardous substance. The information is taken from a toxicological profile developed by ATSDR’s Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences (DTHHS). A toxicological profile is a thorough review of a hazardous substance.This toxicological profile examines uranium. This public health statement summarizes the DTHHS findings on uranium, describes the effects of exposure to it, and describes what you can do to limit that exposure.

Toxicological profile for uranium

Interventional cardiologists who work in cardiac catheterization laboratories are exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation that could pose a health hazard. DNA damage is considered to be the main initiating event by which radiation damage to cells results in development of cancer and hereditary disease. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of chronic low-dose X-ray radiation exposure on somatic DNA damage of interventional cardiologists working in high-volume cardiac catheterization laboratories. For this analysis, we used peripheral lymphocytes and the assay for micronuclei (MNs), which is considered to be a reliable biological dosimeter for radiation exposure. We obtained peripheral blood from 62 physicians (mean age+/-se = 40.6+/-1.5 years): 31 interventional cardiologists (group I, exposed) and 31 age- and sex-matched clinical cardiologists (group II, nonexposed). Interventional cardiologists showed higher MN values (group I=20.5+/-1.6 vs. group II=12.8+/-1.3, P=0.001), although some overlap was apparent in the individual subject analysis. A correlation between years of professional activity and MN frequency value was detectable for interventional cardiologists (r=0.428, P=0.02) but not for clinical cardiologists (r=0.253, P=0.17). The results indicated that, overall, interventional cardiologists working in a high-volume catheterization laboratory have higher levels of somatic DNA damage when compared with clinical cardiologists working outside the catheterization laboratory. The amount of this damage varies and is only weakly related to the duration of professional exposure, which suggests that a dominant modulation of the underlying genetic substrate by environmental factors has a role in determining the harm in individual physicians.

Somatic DNA damage in interventional cardiologists: a case-control study.

Even though mining-related uranium (U) pollution in the Wonderfonteinspruit (WFS) has been an ongoing concern since the mid-1960s, media attention has increased considerably recently, focusing on pollution-related health risks that unsettle the general public. In view of recent findings that U might be more toxic than previously thought, such concerns need to be addressed. This even more so as South Africa has embarked on a nuclear expansion programme aimed at, amongst others, extending mining and processing of U. This is Part 1 of a series of papers aimed at the quantification of the extent of U pollution in the WFS, in order to provide a factual base for subsequent risk assessments. This paper provides an overview of recent findings on U toxicity with specific reference to drinking water, together with a critical examination of related international and South African guidelines. Based on a brief description of the study area and the impacts of mining over the past decades, the origin of U from different auriferous ore bodies (reefs) is explored. Using secondary data on historic gold and U production in the West Rand and the Far West Rand, tailings deposits in the 2 goldfields are estimated to contain well over 100 000 tons of U constituting a large reservoir for ongoing future U pollution. Apart from tailings, underground water in contact with uraniferous reefs constitutes another major source of waterborne U pollution. This applies to water pumped from underground mine workings as part of the active de-watering of overlying karst aquifers as well as decanting water from flooded mine voids. The discharge of U-polluted water together with largely uncontrolled outflow of uraniferous seepage from tailings deposits are major sources of water pollution in the WFS catchment.

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Uranium pollution of the Wonderfonteinspruit, 1997-2008 Part 1: uranium toxicity, regional background and mining-related sources of uranium pollution

Even though mining-related uranium (U) pollution in the Wonderfonteinspruit (WFS) has been an ongoing concern since the mid-1960s, media attention has increased considerably recently, focusing on pollution-related health risks that unsettle the general public. In view of recent findings that U might be more toxic than previously thought, such concerns need to be addressed. This even more so as South Africa has embarked on a nuclear expansion programme aimed at, amongst others, extending mining and processing of U. This is Part 1 of a series of papers aimed at the quantification of the extent of U pollution in the WFS, in order to provide a factual base for subsequent risk assessments. This paper provides an overview of recent findings on U toxicity with specific reference to drinking water, together with a critical examination of related international and South African guidelines. Based on a brief description of the study area and the impacts of mining over the past decades, the origin of U from different auriferous ore bodies (reefs) is explored. Using secondary data on historic gold and U production in the West Rand and the Far West Rand, tailings deposits in the 2 goldfields are estimated to contain well over 100 000 tons of U constituting a large reservoir for ongoing future U pollution. Apart from tailings, underground water in contact with uraniferous reefs constitutes another major source of waterborne U pollution. This applies to water pumped from underground mine workings as part of the active de-watering of overlying karst aquifers as well as decanting water from flooded mine voids. The discharge of U-polluted water together with largely uncontrolled outflow of uraniferous seepage from tailings deposits are major sources of water pollution in the WFS catchment.Keywords: uranium, toxicity, gold mining, reefs, karst, de-watering, tailings, slimes dams, Wonderfonteinspruit

https://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajr/article/download/184286/173657

Uranium pollution of the Wonderfonteinspruit, 1997-2008 Part 1: Uranium toxicity, regional background and mining-related sources of uranium pollution

Depleted uranium (DU) is a byproduct of the enrichment process of uranium for its more radioactive isotopes to be used in nuclear energy. Because DU is pyrophoric and a dense metal with unique features when combined in alloys, it is used by the military in armor and ammunitions. There has been significant public concern regarding the use of DU by such armed forces, and it has been hypothesized to play a role in Gulf War syndrome. In light of experimental evidence from cell cultures, rats, and humans, there is justification for such concern. However, there are limited data on the neurotoxicity of DU. This review reports on uranium uses and its published health effects, with a major focus on in vitro and in vivo studies that escalate concerns that exposure to DU might be associated with neurotoxic health sequelae.

Neurotoxicity of depleted uranium: reasons for increased concern.

Examination of the health status of populations from depleted-uranium-contaminated regions.

We have analyzed the frequency of premature centromeric division (PCD) in medical personnel professionally exposed to low doses of radiation. They had chromosome aberrations (CAs) involving dicentric chromosomes, ring chromosomes, acentric fragments, chromosome breaks, and chromatid breaks. The study included 30 exposed subjects and 23 controls who were each analyzed by a conventional cytogenetics procedure and subsequently by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). The latter was applied particularly in order to verify PCD in a specific chromosome (chromosome 18) in both metaphases and interphase nuclei. The results revealed a significant difference (p < 0.001) in frequencies between the two groups (exposed and controls) for all the observed variables (CAs), metaphases with PCD (MPCD), total number of chromosomes with PCD (TPCD), number of PCD metaphases in acrocentric chromosomes (MAPCD), and the total number of acrocentric chromosomes with PCD (TAPCD). The doses of ionizing radiation absorbed by the subjects' bodies were measured with thermoluminescent dosimeters once a month during the duration of occupational exposure. They were expressed in mSv, as mean annual effective doses for the period of exposure. The Spearman rank test showed a high positive correlation between total life effective dose and frequency of CAs and PCD. Based on the results obtained in this study, we suggest that PCD, as a phenomenon manifesting chromosomal instability (CIN), should be considered as a suitable cytogenetic biomarker for individuals occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation.

Snežana Milačić

Papers

Examination of the health status of populations from depleted-uranium-contaminated regions.

Detection of premature segregation of centromeres in persons exposed to ionizing radiation.