Editing Depleted uranium (section)

===Chemical toxicity===
The chemical toxicity of depleted uranium is identical to that of natural uranium and about a million times greater ''in vivo'' than DU's radiological hazard,<ref name=Miller2/> with the kidney considered to be the main target organ.<ref name = "RSDUWG 2002a 2">{{Harvnb|RSDUWG|2002|p=2}}.</ref> Health effects of DU are determined by factors such as the extent of exposure and whether it was internal or external. Three main pathways exist by which internalization of uranium may occur: [[inhalation]], [[ingestion]], and embedded fragments or [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|shrapnel]] contamination.<ref name=Livengood/><ref>{{Harvnb|RSDUWG|2002|p=19}}.</ref> Properties such as phase (e.g. particulate or gaseous), oxidation state (e.g. metallic or ceramic), and the solubility of uranium and its compounds influence their absorption, [[Distribution (pharmacology)|distribution]], translocation, [[Clearance (medicine)|elimination]] and the resulting toxicity. For example, metallic uranium is less toxic compared to hexavalent uranium(VI) [[uranyl]] compounds such as [[uranium trioxide]] ({{Chem2|UO3}}).<ref>Gmelin Handbuch der anorganischen Chemie» 8th edition, English translation, ''Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic Chemistry,'' vol. U-A7 (1982) pp. 300–322.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |author1=Harley, Naomi H. |author2=Foulkes, Earnest C. |author3=Hilborne, Lee H. |author4=Hudson, Arlene |author5=Anthony, C. Ross |title=A Review of the Scientific Literature as it Pertains to Gulf War Illnesses, Vol. 7 – Depleted Uranium |url=https://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/2005/MR1018.7.pdf|location= Washington, DC |publisher= National Defense Research Institute, RAND|year=1999|pages =1–12|id=MR-1018/7-OSD|isbn=978-0-8330-2681-1}}</ref>

{|class=wikitable
|-
!colspan=4|Compilation of 2004 review<ref name=Craft/> information regarding uranium toxicity
|-
!Body system
!Human studies
!Animal studies
!''In vitro''
|-
|Renal
|Elevated levels of protein excretion, urinary catalase and diuresis
|Damage to proximal convoluted tubules, necrotic cells cast from tubular epithelium, glomerular changes
|No studies
|-
|Brain/CNS
|Decreased performance on neurocognitive tests
|Acute cholinergic toxicity; Dose-dependent accumulation in cortex, midbrain, and vermis; Electrophysiological changes in hippocampus
|No studies
|-
|DNA
|Increased reports of cancers
|Increased DNA adducts, single strand breaks, and mutagenisis via uranium binding to DNA, with the increased potential for tumor formation
|Binucleated cells with micronuclei, Inhibition of cell cycle kinetics and proliferation; Sister chromatid induction, tumorigenic phenotype
|-
|Bone/muscle
|No studies
|Inhibition of periodontal bone formation; and alveolar wound healing
|No studies
|-
|Reproductive
|Uranium miners have more first born female children
|Moderate to severe focal tubular atrophy; vacuolization of Leydig cells
|No studies
|-
|Lungs/respiratory
|No adverse health effects reported
|Severe nasal congestion and hemorrhage, lung lesions and fibrosis, edema and swelling, lung cancer
|No studies
|-
|Gastrointestinal
|Vomiting, diarrhea, albuminuria
|No Studies
|N/A
|-
|Liver
|No effects seen at exposure dose
|Fatty livers, focal necrosis
|No studies
|-
|Skin
|No exposure assessment data available
|Swollen vacuolated epidermal cells, damage to hair follicles and sebaceous glands
|No studies
|-
|Tissues surrounding embedded DU fragments
|Elevated uranium urine concentrations
|Elevated uranium urine concentrations, perturbations in biochemical and neuropsychological testing
|No studies
|-
|Immune system
|Chronic fatigue, rash, ear and eye infections, hair and weight loss, cough. May be due to combined chemical exposure rather than DU alone
|No studies
|No studies
|-
|Eyes
|No studies
|Conjunctivitis, irritation inflammation, edema, ulceration of conjunctival sacs
|No studies
|-
|Blood
|No studies
|Decrease in RBC count and hemoglobin concentration
|No studies
|-
|Cardiovascular
|Myocarditis resulting from the uranium ingestion, which ended 6 months after ingestion
|No effects
|No studies
|}

Uranium is pyrophoric when finely divided.<ref>Chapter: {{cite web |title=PYROPHORIC METALS: Uranium |url=http://hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/hdbk1081/hbk1081e.html#ZZ30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307051256/http://hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/hdbk1081/hbk1081e.html |archive-date=7 March 2008 |url-status=dead}} in {{cite book |publisher=US Dept. of Energy |series=DOE Handbook |url=http://hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/hdbk1081/hbk1081.html |title=Primer on Spontaneous Heating and Pyrophoricity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503084529/http://hss.energy.gov/NuclearSafety/techstds/standard/hdbk1081/hbk1081.html |archive-date=2008-05-03 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It will corrode under the influence of air and water producing insoluble uranium(IV) and soluble uranium(VI) salts. Soluble uranium salts are toxic. Uranium slowly accumulates in several organs, such as the [[liver]], [[spleen]], and kidneys. The [[World Health Organization]] has established a daily "tolerated intake" of soluble uranium salts for the general public of {{convert|0.5|μg/kg}} body weight, or {{convert|35|μg}} for a {{convert|70|kg}} adult.

[[epidemiology|Epidemiological studies]] and [[toxicology|toxicological tests]] on laboratory animals point to it as being [[immunotoxin|immunotoxic]],<ref name=Wan/> [[teratogenesis|teratogenic]],<ref name=Arfsten/><ref name=Domingo/> [[neurotoxic]],<ref name=Briner/> with [[carcinogen]]ic and [[leukaemia|leukemogenic]] potential.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.afrri.usuhs.mil/www/outreach/pdf/miller_NATO_2005.pdf |title=Radiation- and Depleted Uranium-Induced Carcinogenesis Studies: Characterization of the Carcinogenic Process and Development of Medical Countermeasures |author1=Miller, A. C. |author2=Beltran, D. |author3=Rivas, R. |author4=Stewart, M. |author5=Merlot, R. J. |author6=Lison, P. B. |publisher=Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute |date=June 2005 |id=NATO RTG-099 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207021914/http://www.afrri.usuhs.mil/www/outreach/pdf/miller_NATO_2005.pdf |archive-date=7 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A 2005 report by epidemiologists concluded: "the human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of [[birth defect]]s in offspring of persons exposed to DU."<ref name=Hindin/>

Early studies of depleted uranium aerosol exposure assumed that uranium combustion product particles would quickly settle out of the air<ref>{{cite report |last=Rostker |first=B. |year=2000 |section=Research Report Summaries |title=Depleted Uranium in the Gulf (II) |series=Environmental Exposure Reports |id=No. 2000179-2 |url=http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_library/du_ii/du_ii_tabl1.htm |publisher=Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, Department of Defense |type=Technical Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614010814/http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_library/du_ii/du_ii_tabl1.htm |archive-date=14 June 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and thus could not affect populations more than a few kilometers from target areas,<ref name=Mitsakou/> and that such particles, if inhaled, would remain undissolved in the lung for a great length of time and thus could be detected in urine.<ref name=Horan/> Violently burning uranium droplets produce a gaseous vapor comprising about half of the uranium in their original mass.<ref name=Carter/> [[Uranyl]] ion contamination in uranium oxides has been detected in the residue of DU munitions fires.<ref name=Salbu/><ref>{{cite report |last=Rostker |first=B. |year=2000 |title=Depleted Uranium in the Gulf (II) |series=Environmental Exposure Reports |id=No. 2000179-2 |author-link=Bernard D. Rostker |url=http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_library/du_ii/du_ii_refs/n52en017/mr1018_7_chap1.html |publisher=Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, Department of Defense |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070412122229/http://www.deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_library/du_ii/du_ii_refs/n52en017/mr1018_7_chap1.html |archive-date=12 April 2007 |url-status=dead |type=Technical Report}}</ref>

Approximately {{convert|90|μg}} of natural uranium, on average, exist in the human body as a result of normal intake of water, food and air. Most is in the [[skeleton]]. The [[biochemistry]] of depleted uranium is the same as natural uranium.