Overview of the Capstone Depleted Uranium Study of Aerosols From Impact With Armored Vehicles: Test Setup and Aerosol Generation, Characterization, and Application in Assessing Dose and Risk

Parkhurst, Mary Ann; Guilmette, Raymond A.

doi:10.1097/01.hp.0000290626.64569.ee

Cited by 27 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Several studies have monitored the levels of uranium in the urine of individuals with reported exposure to the depleted uranium used during these conflicts. With the exception of individuals having depleted uranium-containing shrapnel embedded within their bodies, the levels of uranium measured in the urine of individuals reporting exposure were not different than levels in nonexposed individuals (ATSDR, 2011;Hooper et al, 1999;McDiarmid et al, 2001McDiarmid et al, , 2004McDiarmid et al, , 2009Miller et al, 2008;Oeh et al, 2007a,b;Parkhurst and Guilmette, 2009;Toohey, 2003). 11.6.4.2.2.3.2 Environmental toxicology and epidemiology of uranium As discussed in detail in Appendix B, the chemical toxicity of uranium is more important than its radiological hazard.…”

Section: Environmental Distribution Of Uraniummentioning

confidence: 99%

Radioactivity, Geochemistry, and Health

Siegel

Bryan

2014

Treatise on Geochemistry

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Section: Environmental Distribution Of Uraniummentioning

confidence: 99%

Radioactivity, Geochemistry, and Health

Siegel

Bryan

2014

Treatise on Geochemistry

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“…A fully functioning Abrams tank with DU armor and an operating ventilation system was used in phase IV [one DU munition shot (abbreviated PIV)]. The test vehicles are described in Parkhurst and Guilmette (2009).…”

Section: Target Vehiclesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physicochemical Characterization of Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosols I: Uranium Concentration in Aerosols as a Function of Time and Particle Size

Parkhurst¹,

Cheng²,

Kenoyer³

et al. 2009

Health Physics

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During the Capstone Depleted Uranium (DU) Aerosol Study, aerosols containing DU were produced inside unventilated armored vehicles (i.e., Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles) by perforation with large-caliber DU penetrators. These aerosols were collected and characterized, and the data were subsequently used to assess human health risks to personnel exposed to DU aerosols. The DU content of each aerosol sample was first quantified by radioanalytical methods, and selected samples, primarily those from the cyclone separator grit chambers, were analyzed radiochemically. Deposition occurred inside the vehicles as particles settled on interior surfaces. Settling rates of uranium from the aerosols were evaluated using filter cassette samples that collected aerosol as total mass over eight sequential time intervals. A moving filter was used to collect aerosol samples over time, particularly within the first minute after a shot. The results demonstrate that the peak uranium concentration in the aerosol occurred in the first 10 s after perforation, and the concentration decreased in the Abrams tank shots to about 50% within 1 min and to less than 2% after 30 min. The initial and maximum uranium concentrations were lower in the Bradley vehicle than those observed in the Abrams tank, and the concentration levels decreased more slowly. Uranium mass concentrations in the aerosols as a function of particle size were evaluated using samples collected in a cyclone sampler, which collected aerosol continuously for 2 h after perforation. The percentages of uranium mass in the cyclone separator stages ranged from 38 to 72% for the Abrams tank with conventional armor. In most cases, it varied with particle size, typically with less uranium associated with the smaller particle sizes. Neither the Abrams tank with DU armor nor the Bradley vehicle results were specifically correlated with particle size and can best be represented by their average uranium mass concentrations of 65 and 24%, respectively.

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“…Aerosols produced during such events could strongly affect the human health since they are made up of toxic heavy metal particles such as lead, tungsten heavy alloys, depleted uranium (DU): as example, submicron uranium oxide particles are amongst the alleged reasons of Gulf War and Balkan syndromes [11]. Several experimental analyses were performed to evaluate the exposure to particles experienced by soldiers in battlefield scenarios by launching heavy metal penetrators against armored test vehicles [11][12][13][14]. Anyway, these were only focused on the measurement of super-micrometric particles, revealing total particle mass concentrations of thousands of mg m -3 in the surroundings of the impact area.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrafine particle generation by high-velocity impact of metal projectiles

Stabile¹,

Iannitti²,

Vigo³

et al. 2014

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Abstract. Ultrafine particle generation through mechanical processes was not carefully deepened so far, even if it could be related to the human health-based researches. In particular, the evaluation of ultrafine particles produced in battlefield scenarios can be useful to quantify the exposure of soldiers to particles carrying toxic heavy metals. In the present work ultrafine particle generation during high-velocity impact of metal projectiles was deepened performing symmetrical high velocity Taylor impacts of copper cylinder tests (Rod-on-Rod tests) by means of a gas-gun facility. Particle number distributions and total concentrations were measured through one-second-time resolution instruments in a chamber where impact events at different velocities were performed. Particle number generation per impact was also evaluated. Particle concentrations in the 10 6 part. cm -3 range were measured corresponding to particle generations higher than 10 12 particles per impact, then comparable to those typical of combustion sources. Particle number distribution showed a unimodal distribution with a 10 nm mode. Summarizing, the performed experimental campaign revealed an extremely high generation of ultrafine particles from mechanical processes.

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Overview of the Capstone Depleted Uranium Study of Aerosols From Impact With Armored Vehicles: Test Setup and Aerosol Generation, Characterization, and Application in Assessing Dose and Risk

Cited by 27 publications

References 9 publications

Radioactivity, Geochemistry, and Health

Radioactivity, Geochemistry, and Health

Physicochemical Characterization of Capstone Depleted Uranium Aerosols I: Uranium Concentration in Aerosols as a Function of Time and Particle Size

Ultrafine particle generation by high-velocity impact of metal projectiles

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