Depleted uranium: description, characteristics and application

The depleted name uranium, consisting primarily of the isotope U-238. It was first made in 1940 in the USA. This material is a by-product of the enrichment of natural uranium in the manufacture of nuclear fuel and ammunition.

How is it produced

How to make depleted uranium? For specialized enterprises, this is not a problem. Nuclear reactors and plants use the natural U-235. Enrich this uranium by separating the isotopes by mass. In this case, the main part of U-235 and U-234 from the material is extracted. As a result, an OS remains, the radioactivity of which is not too high. On this indicator, it is inferior even to uranium ore, which Soviet geologists once wore in their backpacks.

Depleted uranium: application

The OS can be used for both peaceful purposes and for the production of ammunition. His popularity he deserved in the first place because of the high density (19.1 g / cm ³ ). Very often it is used, for example, as a counterweight in missiles and airplanes. Another area in which this material is widely used is medicine. In this case, the Shelter is used mainly for the production of radiotherapy devices. Apply this material and as a radiation protection, for example, in the radiography of equipment.

In the military industry, uranium is used most often for making armor sheets. It is also used in the manufacture of ammunition and even nuclear warheads. In this quality, the US military used it for the first time. US engineers have guessed to replace the production of cores BPS with this metal expensive tungsten. The fact is that the density of depleted uranium to the latter is very close. At the same time, cores made of it, cost three times cheaper than tungsten.

Features of the use of ammunition with dining uranium

One of the advantages of an op-amp as the core of an ammunition is that it is capable of self-igniting upon impact. In this case, small fragments light up in the air and ignite combustible materials inside armored objects or cause an explosion of ammunition.

In addition, ammunition with depleted uranium has the property of self-sharpening. Therefore, in the appropriate shot of extreme conditions, such projectiles can spontaneously acquire a form allowing them to pass through any obstacles with minimal energy losses.

Where such ammunition was used

Shells with depleted uranium were used by the US armed forces in several wars. They were first used in Iraq in 1991. At that time, about 14,000 tank shells of this type were spent by the US Army. In general, the United States at that time used about 300 tons of op amps.

At the beginning of the 21st century, NATO used shells based on depleted uranium in the war against Yugoslavia. Then it led to a major international scandal. The public became aware that many servicemen developed cancer.

Claims for diseases caused by weapons of this kind were sent to the US Government by soldiers even after Iraq. However, none of them was satisfied then. The government referred to the fact that there is no direct evidence of the harmful effects of the Shelter on the human body.

In January 2001, the UN Special Commission examined 11 facilities, which were struck by ammunition with such rods. At the same time, 8 of them were infected. Moreover, according to some experts, the water in Kosovo was absolutely unfit for consumption. The decontamination of the surveyed territory could cost several billion dollars.

Unfortunately, such studies were not conducted in Iraq. But information about the sick after the shelling of the citizens of this country also exist. For example, before the conflict in the city of Basra from cancer, only 34 people died, after it - 644.

Armor plates

For the manufacture of tank armor OU can also be used, but all due to its high density. Most often, an intermediate layer is made of it between two steel sheets. Armor from depleted uranium is used, for example, on tanks M1A2 and M1A1HA Abrams. The latter were modernized after 1998. This technique contains liners of depleted uranium in the front of the hull and turret.

Characteristics. Possible effects on the human body

Despite the fact that in relation to radioactivity, depleted uranium is still considered not too dangerous (since, among other things, it has a long half-life), it seems that it can still have a harmful effect on the human body. UN studies say this more than eloquent.

Why, after shelling with such shells the number of cancer patients rises, it was possible to find out to the Russian scientist Yablokov. This researcher was initially clear that the matter is most likely not in radiation. In the end, he managed to learn that shells with depleted uranium can leave behind a so-called ceramic aerosol. Getting into the lungs of a person, it is this substance that penetrates into other tissues and organs, gradually begins to accumulate in the liver and kidneys, which leads to the development of oncological diseases.

In mid-January 2001, after studies in Kosovo, the UN secretariat sent warnings to all missions about the harmful effects of depleted uranium on the human body. However, the Pentagon continues to insist on the safety of the substance, referring to the data of the World Health Organization. And, of course, continues to use weapons based on it.

How can irradiation take place?

Uranium is present in the environment always. Even in the human body there is a certain amount (about 90 μg). When contacting ammunition containing DU, despite their relative safety in this regard, a person can still receive a small amount of radiation. This happens usually in the following cases:

• With direct contact or proximity to the Shelter. Irradiation can, for example, occur during work in an ammunition depot, when they are in the same machine with them, in contact with debris formed after the explosion, etc. The depleted uranium core is in the shell. However, sometimes the integrity of the latter may be violated. In this case, the risk of radiation is significantly increased.

• If ingested, as a result of ingestion or inhalation of OS particles.

• Directly through the blood. This usually occurs when injured by contact with shells or armor made from the Shelter.

At present, WHO has developed standards for uranium. Most of them can be applied to the Shelter. Thus, an allowable daily dose of uranium entering the mouth is 0.6 μg per kilogram of human weight. Limiting norms of ionizing radiation are 1 m3v per year for ordinary citizens and 20 m3v for five years for persons working in radiation conditions (on average).

The problem of recycling

To date, the world has accumulated huge reserves of Shelter. At the same time, the industrial technology of its complete utilization has not been developed so far. European companies in such circumstances prefer to operate on a very simple scheme. Formally, they simply send the Shelter to Russia for recycling. Meanwhile, such an operation is considered even more expensive than the cost of disposal of this substance and its storage. The benefit for companies in this case lies in the fact that only 10% of imported raw materials are returned to Europe after re-enrichment. 90% remains on the territory of our country.

According to the law, it is impossible to keep the Shelter from other countries in Russia. In order to bypass it, foreign depleted uranium is simply transferred to federal ownership. To date, Russia has accumulated about 800 thousand tons of such waste. At the same time, 125 thousand tons were brought from Europe.

In the US, the OS is considered to be radioactive waste. In Russia, depleted uranium is defined as a valuable energy source, which is very suitable for reactors on fast neurons.