The Potential Toxicity of Uranium in Water

The nephrotoxic responses of mammalian species, including humans, to injected, inhaled, ingested, and topically applied uranium compounds have been thoroughly investigated. Because there appear to be no unequivocal reports of uranium-induced radiation effects in humans, it is necessary to rely on ex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal - American Water Works Association 1987-04, Vol.79 (4), p.177-184
Main Authors: Wrenn, McDonald E., Durbin, Patricia W., Willis, David L., Singh, Narayani P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Bones
Chemical hazards
Drinking Water
Environmental pollutants toxicology
Health Effects
Humans
Kidneys
Medical sciences
Potable water
Rats
Research & Technology
Sarcoma
Toxicity
Toxicology
United States
Uranium
Water
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Summary:The nephrotoxic responses of mammalian species, including humans, to injected, inhaled, ingested, and topically applied uranium compounds have been thoroughly investigated. Because there appear to be no unequivocal reports of uranium-induced radiation effects in humans, it is necessary to rely on experimental work with animals and on epidemiological investigations of human populations exposed to radium isotopes to infer human response to the alpha-particle emissions of uranium. Metabolic models have been developed to relate the intake of uranium in water and food to its uptake in the human skeleton and soft tissues, of which the kidney is the critical organ. A US Environmental Protection Agency committee has recommended a limit for uranium in drinking water of 100 μg/L, which includes a substantial safety factor, to limit effects on the kidney. Las respuestas nefrotóxicas de los mamíferos, incluyendo humanos, a compuestos uranios inyectados, injeridos, y aplicados tópicamente han sido investigado a fondo. Es necesario confiar en el trabajo experimental con animales y en investigaciones epidemiológicas de poblaciones humanas expuestas a isótopos de uranio para inferir respuestas humanas a las emisiones de partículas alfa de uranio porque aparece que no hay reportes inequivocos de efectos de radación inducido por uranio. Modelos metabólicos han sido desarrollados para relacionar la admisión de uranio en agua y comida a su admisión en el esqueleto humano y en tejidos blandos en que el riñon es el órgano más importante. Un comité de la Agencia de Protección del Ambiente de los Estados Unidos ha recomendado un limité para uranio en agua potable de 100 μg/L, en el cual incluyé un factor de seguridad substantial para limitar los efectos sobre el riñon.
ISSN:0003-150X
1551-8833
DOI:10.1002/j.1551-8833.1987.tb02831.x