US EPA

1424783 

Technical Report 

Evaluation of the health risks of embedded depleted uranium (DU) shrapnel on pregnancy and offspring development 

Benson, KA 

2001 

NTIS/02920824 

The results of studies conducted with female rats implanted with depleted uranium pellets showed that significant levels of uranium could be measured in the rat urine and tissues sampled upon necropsy. Despite the significant uranium levels, especially in the kidney, this methodology did not yield the renal toxicity that could have been expected from the scientific literature. Most likely this is due to the method of administration, a constant uranium supply from an implanted pellet in the rat leg. Of specific interest to any female soldiers who may, in the future, find themselves in the position of some of our male Gulf War veterans, with DU shrapnel injuries, are the data reflecting the lack of a significant impact of the DU pellets on the maternal and litter parameters. Subsequent studies also showed no strong influence of the imbedded DU on fertility parameters, even when the pellets remain in the maternal rat for an extended period. 

Pregnancy; *Depleted uranium; Tissues(Biology); Army personnel; Toxicity; Embedding; Medical research; Women; Ammunition fragments; Risk analysis