Uranium
Identification Number: CASRN | 7440-61-1

  Substance Attributes

• Endocrine Disrupter

  Interferes with your hormones. Hormones are powerful messengers that can bind to DNA. You don't want to mess with them.

• Birth/Developmental

  Known to effect development of fetus.

• Metabolic Interference or Disruption

  Interferes with human metabolism. This can be a very serious thing. Some of these interference mechanics are well established. However, often long term effects and health consequences remain largely unknown. Additionally an emerging area of concern and one that is not currently studied, is the combined synergistic effects these metabolically disrupting chemicals have on human health.

  
  

  Metabolic interference happens when the substance produces highly reactive and often damaging intermediates during detoxification or when the substance binds to specific enzymes, important structural groups on molecules, receptors and membranes or targets DNA or mimics key nutrients.

• Exposure Produces Health Symptoms

  Symptoms maybe short term or long term depending on the exposure duration and intensity and effects areas like Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, Cognition, Fatigue. A substance with this attribute may cause an allergic skin reaction, serious eye irritation, allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled.

• Serious Acute Effects

  This is a serious nasty substance. Effects are Acute (seen immediately). Substances in this category may be FATAL or acutely toxic if inhaled, skin contact or swallowed. See further details.

• Toxic to specific organs

  Can damage liver, kidney, lungs, heart or gut. Ironically liver, kidneys and gut are the main detoxifications systems.

• Toxic to Wildlife

  May kill plants, fish, birds or other animals and insects or may be very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. This then effects delicate environmental ecology and food supply in ways we don't fully understand yet.

These attributes are ONLY based on peer-reviewed evidence. See link to Data Sources below. Everyone benefits from knowing this stuff. Please Share.

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• CATEGORIES: Pit Chemicals used in CSG Hydraulic Fracturing | Industrial/Workplace Toxin | Pollutant | Airborne Pollutant | Natural Toxin | A Hazardous Substance that may be found in the Australian Workplace
• SUBSTANCE LINEAGE: Inorganic Compounds | Homogeneous Metal Compounds | Homogeneous Actinide Compounds | | Homogeneous Actinide Compounds
• SYNONYMS: 238-U | 238U | Depleted uranium | DU | Uranium 238 | Uranium I ((238)U)
• DESCRIPTION: Has been used in CSG, Hydraulic Fracturing Operations (Fracking) as - Unknown | Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium found in nature. Uranium is a chemical element that has the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a normal part of rocks, soil, air, and water, and occurs in nature in the form of minerals. Natural uranium is a mixture of three radioactive isotopes called uranium-234, uranium-235, and uranium-238. Uranium-238 is used in the military sector for kinetic energy penetrators and armor plating. Uranium is also used as a colorant in uranium glass, producing orange-red to lemon yellow hues. (L248, L249)
• COMMENTS:
  
  From Safe Work Australia and the Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS) in Australia:
  
  Fatal if inhaled. Fatal if swallowed. May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure . May cause long lasting harmful effects to aquatic life | Chronic Health Hazard Acutely Toxic | A Hazardous Substance that may be found in the Australian Workplace. Check with your employer or health and safety officer. Stay informed and become aware of the dangers that surround you. This chemical is included on the list of recognised hazardous chemicals from the Safe Work Australia - Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS) that is based on the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
  
  Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations are the basis for hazardous chemicals regulations in Commonwealth, State and Territory jurisdictions in Australia. Under the model WHS Regulations, manufacturers and importers of substances, mixtures and articles supplied for use in workplaces are required to determine whether they are hazardous to health and safety before supply. The model WHS Regulations mandate that the hazards of a chemical as determined by the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) must be included in safety data sheets and on labels. There are transitional arrangements in place for moving to the GHS-based system.
  
  The GHS Hazardous Chemical Information List contains chemicals classified by an authoritative source (such as the European Commission or NICNAS) in accordance with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (the GHS). This list contains the vast majority of chemicals currently in HSIS. This list and its detail are regularly updated by Work Safe Australia. The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations require chemicals to be classified in accordance with the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). However transitional arrangements allow use of classification information in HSIS derived from the Approved Criteria until the 31 December 2016.
• 
• FORMULA: U
• DATA SOURCES: DATA SOURCES: T3DB | PubChem | TEDX | Safe Work Australia - Hazardous Substances Information System (HSIS)
• LAST UPDATE: 28/04/2018

  Health Associations

Mostly focused on Health Implications of Long Term Exposure to this substance

• SYMPTOMS: Ingestion of uranium may cause vomiting and diarrhea. (L248)
• POSSIBLE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES: Uranium primarily damages the kidney, but may also damage the lungs, central nervous system, and immune system. Uranium's radioactivity is believed to damage the DNA, resulting in carcinogenic effects and reproductive and developmental damage. (L248, L249) | Uranium is absorbed in low amounts via oral, inhalation, and dermal routes. Uranium in body fluids generally exists as the uranyl ion (UO2)2+ complexed with anions, such as citrate and bicarbonate, or plasma proteins. Uranium preferentially distributes to bone, liver, and kidney. The large majority of uranium that enters the body is not absorbed and is eliminated from the body via the urine and faeces. (L248)
• ACTION OF TOXIN: Uranium is combined with either bicarbonate or a plasma protein in the blood but once in the kidney, it is released and forms complexes with phosphate ligands and proteins in the tubular wall, causing damage. Uranium may also inhibit both sodium transport-dependent and independent ATP utilization and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in the renal proximal tubule. Uranium causes respiratory diseases by damaging alveolar epithelium type II cells in the lungs. Uranium induces c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) activation, which in turn induces tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) secretion and generates and inflammatory response in the lungs. Studies have shown that the more soluble the uranium salt, the more toxic it is. Ionizing radiation produced by uranium damages the DNA, resulting in gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations. This can both both initiate and promote carcinogenesis, and interfere with reproduction and development. (L249, A160) | Ionizing radiation produced by uranium damages the DNA, resulting in gene mutations and chromosomal aberrations. This can both both initiate and promote carcinogenesis, and interfere with reproduction and development. (L249)
• TOXIN SITES OF ACTION IN CELL: "Cytoplasm", "Extracellular"
• Additional Exposure Routes: Uranium-238 is used in the military sector for kinetic energy penetrators and armor plating. Uranium is also used as a colorant in uranium glass, producing orange-red to lemon yellow hues. (L248, L249)

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