Human Health Risk Assessment at a Depleted Uranium Site

Authors: BARBARA CALLAHAN; PAUL KOSTECKI; KAREN REECE

Source: Soil and Sediment Contamination (formerly Journal of Soil Contamination), Volume 13, Number 6, November-December 2004 , pp. 597-609(13)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

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Abstract:

Human health risk assessments for depleted uranium are common for Department of Defense (DOD) sites since the metal has various military uses. At a training and experimental site, DU was evaluated in soil in order to make decisions regarding cleanup and future use of the site. At this site, concentrations were found to be protective of human health; DU is less toxic than uranium. Other data important to this decision were the type of receptors likely to be exposed, the amount of time spent by the receptor on-site, the acceptable yearly radiation dose, and other non-radiation associated effects to the kidney. Total uranium concentrations in soil were calculated for the 90th percentile and the 50th percentile. The highest soil concentration used as an exposure point was 3500 ug/g (90th percentile). Short exposure timeframes contributed to the risk results.

Keywords: Depleted Uranium; Soil Exposures To Radioactivity; Risk Assessment

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10588330490519464

Affiliations: 1: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

Publication date: 2004-11-01