Depleted uranium is a byproduct of uranium 235 enrichment and is used in armor and armor-piercing weapons. It is a heavy metal and weakly radioactive, but can contaminate the environment. Its use in weapons has been linked to increased radiation levels and birth defects, leading to calls for regulation and cleanup.
Depleted uranium, or DU, is the substance left over after the enriched fraction of uranium 235 has been removed from natural uranium. When uranium’s potential for energy production and weapons was first realized, depleted uranium was treated as a byproduct of the manufacturing process. However, the researchers found that because depleted uranium was very dense, it was ideal for use in armor and armor-piercing weapons in tanks. It also had potential applications as a form of ballast. As a result, depleted uranium began to be actively used, mainly by the military.
Uranium is a silvery-white natural element with radioactive properties. It has numerous isotopes, including uranium 235 and uranium 238, the isotope that makes up the largest fraction of depleted uranium. It is not as radioactive as plutonium, a related element, but can be enriched by mining uranium 235 and used for nuclear weapons and power plants. Enriched uranium is strong enough to be used in large-scale weaponry, as demonstrated in 1945 when “Little Boy,” a nuclear bomb made with enriched uranium, exploded over Hiroshima.
Many people around the world are concerned about the use of depleted uranium in weapons, as it has the potential to contaminate the environment. Radioactivity aside, depleted uranium is a heavy metal and can have a serious impact if released in large quantities. Even weapons made with depleted uranium are usually mixed with lead and other heavy metals, forming a significant risk of contamination. The weak radioactivity of depleted uranium is also a cause for concern.
Weapons made with depleted uranium have been used extensively in Iraq and the Balkans, as well as in more limited forms in other nations. Investigations by international agencies have revealed increased levels of radioactivity in regions where depleted uranium has been used. Tanks destroyed with depleted uranium shells were often abandoned by the roadside and investigated by members of the local population. Concern is that local people may be exposed to radiation through abandoned military equipment, and many organizations have lobbied for cleanup of contaminated equipment with depleted uranium, as well as a moratorium on the substance’s use. Soldiers are also at risk from depleted uranium, carrying shells and being in situations where depleted uranium shells explode.
No agency regulates the use of depleted uranium weapons, produced by many nations. It is not technically classified as nuclear or poisonous, although it is clearly toxic. Several groups of individuals have suggested that depleted uranium should be more tightly regulated and inspected, especially in the United States and Europe. Some people believe the substance is linked to Gulf War Syndrome, along with an increase in birth defects in regions where depleted uranium has been used. The link to birth defects has been supported by research conducted by several organizations, including the US military, which suggest that depleted uranium could impact reproductive organs.
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