Depleted Uranium in Kosovo: Results of a Survey by Gamma Spectrometry on Soil Samples

Abstract

The presence of depleted uranium in the soil of former Yugoslavia after the 1999 conflict raised great public concern all over the world. The so-called Balkan-syndrome is often linked with depleted uranium contamination. An excellent compilation of data about DU and its possible impact on health and environment can be found in the 1999 UNEP report and publications from the Swedish Radiation Protection Institute. Unfortunately, very few systematic and reliable data on the possible depleted uranium concentrations were until now available. Some of these rare data are only available on the web, without adequate information about the experimental procedure used. To clarify the situation, a systematic survey was started in the summer of 2000 as a collaborative effort between Ghent University (Physics Laboratory) and the Belgian Ministry of Defense (Medical Service). From 50 sites selected all over Kosovo, 150 soil samples were measured in the laboratory with a high-resolution gamma-spectrometer. Some sites (14) were explicitly selected based on military information on the use of depleted uranium munitions in the vicinity. After careful analysis we can conclude that there is no indication of any depleted uranium contamination on these 50 sites with a minimal detectable activity of 15 Bq; this corresponds approximately to 1 mg depleted uranium in a typical sample (100-150 g).

Depleted and Natural Uranium: Chemistry and Toxicological Effects

“…α-Particle counting, delayed neutron emission, mass spectrometry, fission track, and instrumental neutron activation analysis have been also used (Abu-Qare & Abou-Donia, 2001;Papastefanou, 2002;Uyttenhove et al, 2002;Hodge et al, 2001;Gladney & Rook, 1975). Traditionally, flourimetry was the most common of these techniques (with a detection limit of 1 ng); however, because of its 0.05 ng detection limit, a more recent detection method, neutron activation analysis, is also used Although both of these techniques serve to directly quantitate the 238 U mass, they don't provide any information on the 234 U: 238 U and 235 U: 238 U activity ratios in the sample (Fisenne et al, 1980).…”

Depleted uranium and public health risks in the Balkan region

“…Other laboratories focused on the monitoring of soils across the region. Thorough analyses of soil samples from agriculture and urban areas showed no DU contamination but the naturally occurring uranium with natural isotopic ratios only [3,6]. Therefore soils and agriculture were not compromised.…”

Environmental radioactivity measurements and applications – Difficulties, current status and future trends

“…However, the use of depleted uranium (DU) in military conflicts and the subsequent DU soil contamination, demonstrated the need for independent 235 U determination in environmental materials and today there are such reports available (Uyttenhove et al, 2002;Karangelos et al, 2004b).…”