Uranium Concentration in Human Blood using Fission Track Etch Technique

Abstract

The technique of fission track etch has been applied to determine concentration of uranium in human blood samples for exposed group and control group, male and female, using CR-39 track detector that is employed for registration of induced fission tracks. The blood samples of exposed group were collected from three key southern Iraqi governorates (Basrah, Muthanna and Dhi-Qar). These governorates were the center of intensive military activities during the 1991 and 2003 Gulf wars. The blood samples of the control group were taken from individuals who live in Babil governorate. This governorate, which is considered environmentally uncontaminated, is located north-west of the study area. The results showed that the uranium concentrations in human blood of exposed group ranged from 0.78 ppb (male, 3 years old, from Dhi-Qar) to 2.47 ppb (female, 65 years old, from Basrah). For the control group, the uranium concentration ranged from 0.32 ppb (male, 4 years old) to 1.47 ppb (female, 52 years old). It has also been found that the uranium concentrations in blood samples of exposed group are higher than those of the control group, and the uranium concentrations for female exposed group and control group are higher than those for male exposed group and control group.

Keywords: uranium concentration, human blood, CR-39, fission track, Iraq