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The U.S. military uses tank armor and some bullets made with depleted uranium (DU) to penetrate enemy armored vehicles.
The U. S. Military began using DU on a large scale during the 1990-1991 Gulf War.
DU has 40 percent less radioactivity, but the same chemical toxicity as natural uranium.
DU is not a health concern unless it enters the body. Veterans who are in close vicinity to fires or explosions that involve DU munitions or supplies may be at risk for DU exposure if they inhaled or ingested some of the DU fragments or if they sustained a shrapnel injury as a result of the explosion. These fragments may contain depleted uranium which may lead to renal toxicity. The potential for health effects from internal exposure is related to the amount of DU that enters a person’s body. Long term health consequences still haven't been determined.
For more information, see War Related Illness and Injury Study Center or VA Office of Public Health links in Resources.