Author: Durakovic, Asaf

Source: Military Medicine, Volume 170, Number 4, April 2005 , pp. 277-284(8)

Publisher: AMSUS - Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations and precise isotopic compositions of four uranium isotopes (²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²³⁶U, and ²³⁸U) in urine specimens from the civilian population of Afghanistan after Allied Forces Operation Enduring Freedom. Eight male civilians from Nangarhar-Jalalabad region who presented with symptoms of fatigue, fever, musculoskeletal and neurological alterations, headaches, and respiratory impairment after inhalation of dust during the bombing raids in June 2002 had urine samples collected under controlled conditions and analyzed in duplicate for ²³⁴U, ²³⁵U, ²³⁶U, and ²³⁸U, with multicollector, inductively coupled, plasma ionization mass spectrometry. Control samples with an internal urine standard were analyzed with the same method. The mean concentration of uranium in eight samples was found to be considerably greater (275.04 ng/L; SD, 137.80 ng/L; SE, 48.72 ng/L) than what is regarded as a reference range (1–20 ng/L). The ²³⁸U/²³⁵U ratio was 137.87 ± 0.20, which is consistent with that of natural uranium. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio for the Afghan samples was 0.000055 ± 0.000001, also consistent with natural uranium. ²³⁶U, which usually forms a component of depleted uranium, was not detected (measured ²³⁶U/²³⁸U ratio, <10^-7). Our results demonstrate that contamination in Afghanistan with a source consistent with natural uranium has resulted in total uranium concentrations up to 100 times higher than the normal range for various geographic and environmental areas throughout the world. The cause of our findings is currently being evaluated as a part of our ongoing research.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2005-04-01

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• Military Medicine is the Association's official monthly journal. The objective of the Journal is to promote awareness of Federal medicine by providing a forum for responsible discussion of common ideas and problems relevant to Federal healthcare. Its mission is: To increase healthcare education by providing scientific and other information to its readers; to facilitate communication; and to offer a prestige publication for members' writings.
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