Difference between revisions of "Uranium"

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Revision as of 21:15, 20 November 2009

The page on uranium mining and its impacts has been moved to Uranium Mining.

Uranium-238

Natural decay chain of uranium-238

Uranium-238 is not only radiating itself but also produced a series of radioactive daughter elements which all are existing in the ore. The main problems for the surroundings of the ore are radium and radon, because radium binds easily to soluble substances and will be washed out by rain and goes to ground water. Radon is gaseous und leaves the mineral at open sur-faces and is in the air to be inhaled. Its half-life is only short, 3.8 days, but it is continuously produced again by radium.[1]

Table 1 Natural decay chain of uranium-238
Nuclide Half-life Radiation Relative activity
Uranium 238 4,5 x 109 y α γ 100
Th 234 24 d β γ 100
Pa 234m 1,2 m β γ 100
U 234 2,5 x 105 y α γ 100
Th 230 8,0 x 104 y α γ 100
Radium 226 1622 y α γ 100
Radon 222 3,8 d α 100
Po 218 3,05 m α 100
Pb 214 26,8 m β γ 100
Bi 214 19,7 m β 100
Po 214 1,6 x 10-4 s α γ 100
Tl 210 1,3 m β γ 100
Pb 210 22 y β γ 100
Bi 210 5,0 d β 100
Po 210 138 d α 100
Tl 206 4,2 m β 100
Pb 206 stable

The radiations of the nuclides in Table 1 are alpha-, beta- and gamma-rays. Gamma-rays are penetrating matter, they are very similar to x-rays. Beta- and alpha-rays are high energetic particles with electrical charge. All these rays produce mutations in tissues.

Alpha-rays are of high biological effectiveness if they can get into the body via the lungs or into the stomach. Fig.1 shows tracks of single alpha particles sent out by radium. The path length in air is some centimeters, in tissue it would be only 1/1000 of that: some 10 microme-ters. They are only dangerous if incorporated.


Finde more articles about Uranium on the Nuclear Heritage Network webpage.


  1. Prof. Dr. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, Hannover, Germany, German Society of Radiation Protection: Health Effects of Uranium Mining in Workers and Residents and the Ex-perience in Germany. Lecture hold at the independent experts' hearing in Ranua on November 7, 2009