Common Heavy Metals: Sources and Specific Effects

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Uranium

Heavy metals have no function in the body and can be highly toxic. Introduction Aluminum Arsenic Cadmium Lead Nickel Antimony Barium Uranium Mercury

Sources: By far, the most common mode of exposure to uranium that is absorbed is via drinking water that has passed through rock strata that contain this element (igneous rocks, like granite, and phosphate strata). Dust from such strata or ground water that passes through can contain uranium that may be inhaled or ingested. Inhaled uranium from rock dust, mining and excavating is a second source. The most obvious potential sources are nuclear power plants and nuclear waste sites.

Target Organs: Increased exposure to uranium dust has long been associated with increased incidence of lung cancer. ³² Although there are no strong studies linking hair uranium with either cancer risk or radon exposure, hair levels (measuring U238) do correlate with environmental exposure to this element.

Signs/Symptoms: Fatigue, a commonly-observed symptom of chronic, low-level uranium exposure, may be due to impairment of cellular energy metabolism. The uranyl ion also bonds to phosphates, and in bone, it bonds strongly to hydroxyapatite sites, displacing calcium. Uranium bound to bicarbonate begins to produce renal damage if concentrations are high enough; hyperaminoaciduria and beta-2-microglobulinuria occur as uranium begins its attack on tubular epithelia. As renal damage becomes more severe, albuminuria, elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and damage to the proximal tubules occurs, eventually leading to renal failure.

Discussion: Uranium has both radiochemical and toxicochemical hazards. Excretion is mostly by urine, but the biological residence time is long with measurable uranium in the urine for up to 18 months after an acute exposure. Urine levels of uranium can be notably elevated if the body burden is high and if uranium-mobilizing or chelating agents are used. Some of these detoxifying agents are: “Tiron” (dihydroxy-benzene disulfate), DTPA (diethylene-triamine pentaacetate), gallic acid (trihydroxybenzoic acid), and 5-amino salicylate. EDTA administration or use of citrate salts may increase urinary excretion of this element.

The accumulation of uranium in the hair may be related to blood group, with types AB and B having a higher apparent affinity for the element. ³³

In animal studies, a condition of low iron nutriture led to greater retention of uranium as evidenced by hair levels. ³⁴

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