Radiological and Depleted Uranium Weapons: Environmental and Health Consequences

Abstract

The effects of nuclear weapons are due to the release of blast and thermal energy and the immediate and residual ionizing radiation energy. Most of the short-term damages to the environment and the human health are caused by the blast and thermal energies. Ionizing radiation energy received in large doses at high dose rates (victims of nuclear explosions) can produce acute radiation sickness and can even be lethal. Individuals having received lower radiation doses, or even high doses at low dose rates, may suffer from stochastic effects, primarily, the induction of cancer. Studies of exposed populations suggest the probability of developing a lethal cancer following low dose rate exposure is increased by approximately 5% for each Sv the whole-body receives. This risk is added, of course, to the risk of dying from cancer without exposure to radiation, which is more than 20% worldwide. For radiological weapons (radiological dispersion devices or dirty bombs), the health effects due to radiation are expected to be minor in most cases. Casualties will mainly occur due to the conventional explosive. Fear, panic, and decontamination costs will be the major effects. Significant radiation damage to individuals would likely be limited to very few persons. Depleted uranium (DU) weapons leave in the battlefield fragmented or intact DU penetrators as well as DU dust. The latter, if inhaled, could represent a radiological risk, especially to individuals spending some time in vehicles hit by DU munitions. All studies conducted so far have shown the outdoors doses to be so low not to represent a significant risk. For those spending 10 h per year in vehicles hit by DU munitions, the risk of developing a lethal cancer is slightly higher (∼0.2%).