Depleted Uranium May Cause DNA Damage

Depleted and enriched uranium affect DNA in different ways 03/21/2010. Radiation is not uranium's only health concern, say researchers who report the less radioactive form of the metal can also damage DNA, but in a different way that could also lead to cancer. Meticulous research identifies for the first time how two main types of uranium – enriched and depleted – damage a cell's DNA by different methods. The manner – either by radiation or by its chemical properties as a metal – depends upon whether the uranium is processed or depleted. This study shows that both types of uranium may carry a health risk because they both affect DNA in ways that can lead to cancer.  Darolles, C, D Broggio, A Feugier, S Frelon, I Dublineau, M De Medro and F Petitot. 2009. Different genotoxic profiles between depleted and enriched uranium. Toxicology Letters. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.11.0   Environmental Health News