. "2 Toxicokinetics of Depleted Uranium." Review of Toxicologic and Radiologic Risks to Military Personnel from Exposure to Depleted Uranium During and After Combat. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2008.
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Review of the Toxicologic and Radiologic Risks to Military Personnel from Exposures to Depleted Uranium During and After Combat
TABLE 2-1 Solubility of Uranium Compounds
Uranium Compound
Chemical Formula
More water-soluble compounds
Uranyl nitrate
UO2(NO3)2
Uranyl nitrate hexahydrate
UO2(NO3)2●6H2O
Uranium hexafluoride
UF6
Uranyl fluoride
UO2F2
Uranium tetrachloride
UCl4
Uranium pentachloride
UCl5
Ammonium uranyl tricarbonate
(NH4)4UO2(CO3)3
Less water-soluble compounds
Sodium diuranate (yellow oxide of uranium)
Na2U2O7●6H2O
Ammonium diuranate
U2(NH4)2O7
Uranyl acetate
UO2(CH3CO2)2
Insoluble compounds
Uranium tetrafluoride
UF4
Uranium trioxide
UO3
Uranium dioxide
UO2
Uranium peroxide
UO4
Triuranium octaoxide
U3O8
Source: ATSDR 1999.
TABLE 2-2 Absorption by Exposure Route
Exposure Route
Absorption of Soluble Compounds
Absorption of Insoluble Compounds
Inhalation
5% or more
<1%
Ingestion
0.1-2%
0.01-0.2%
Skin contact
<1%
<1%
Source: Data from ATSDR 1999.
than 10 μm) are deposited predominantly deeper in the terminal bronchioles and alveoli. Soluble particles in the lungs and tracheobronchial lymph nodes are taken up into the systemic circulation within days (IOM 2000). Less-soluble particles are likely to remain in pulmonary tissue and associated lymph nodes for weeks. Relatively insoluble compounds are least likely to enter the systemic circulation and may remain in the lung and tracheobronchial lymph nodes for several years or decades.
Most inhaled uranium aerosol is cleared from the respiratory tract via the gastrointestinal tract, but a fraction is absorbed into the body fluids and distrib-
