Can Scottish Fungi Really Eliminate Depleted Uranium In Soil?
Cathy Garger | 12.05.2008 11:02 | Anti-militarism | Ecology | Health | World
This article explores the claim that researchers from Scotland have figured out how to eradicate Depleted Uranium in its soils at the military firing range where these radioactive contaminating materials are fired.
Is Scotland the UK's National Sacrifice Zone?
Just weeks after UK press coverage on citizen outrage over the continuation of firing Depleted Uranium at the Dundrennan military firing range in Scotland and the increased radioactive contamination of the environment there...
http://tinyurl.com/4a3cte or
www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2192940.0.radiation_at_solway_range_hits_new_high.php
immediately pops up this new fungi research out of Scotland, blasted as if some miracle cure all over the place. Convenient timing, eh?
What are the purposes for this onslaught of this fungi news, being touted as some sort of magical cure for Depleted Uranium poisoning of the soil - and eventually contamination of underground water tables?
Undoubtedly, the first reason is to try to take the heat off the MoD right now. In other words, the average Brit will read this and be likely to think, Whew! I am so glad they found a way to clean up the DU contamination in Scotland!
Wrong.
Even if it is indeed true (?) that the fungi will somewhat help the spread of Uranium through the contaminated soils, this does not make the radioactive Uranium in the soils problem magically just disappear.
As Professor Geoffrey Gadd, team leader for this research, admitted:
"... he cautions that the minerals probably couldn't ever be considered harmless as they still contain uranium, and this could still be toxic if eaten. Nor have the Dundee team yet worked out a practical way to collect and dispose of the trapped uranium."
Soils that still contain Uranium are both toxic and radioactive - even if a mechanism such as fungi is used to help the contamination spread less readily.
There is a second point here that is being made, and this is the most frightening real-life horror story I have read in quite some time. As the BBC reports with chilling optimism:
"The research, published in the journal Current Biology, concludes that the discovery could lead to uranium-polluted soils eventually being brought back into use."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7384500.stm
Goodlord, it is bad enough when they allow the radioactively soil areas to go untouched... but can you just imagine them spreading some of this fungi out in Depleted Uranium-laden soils and then trying to tell us one day that they are going to build neighborhoods and playgrounds on top of the horrendously contaminated Jefferson Proving Grounds in Indiana or the even more extensively contaminated Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where Depleted Uranium is still "tested" outdoors near Baltimore?
The possible implications for use of this fungi as some sort of environmental cure are truly chilling.
We can not possibly ever remediate Uranium contaminated soils that exist all over the country and many other parts of the world - unless unfathomably huge and prohibitively expensive, thorough remediation measures are taken.
And while we can not un-do the massive radioactive contamination that has already taken place, we must now do whatever we can to prevent Uranium from being used for any purpose. We must stop Uranium from being used in nuclear power plants, nuclear bombs, and everyday weapons currently used by our military, such as bunker busters, missiles, DU fired out of A-10 aircraft and out of tanks used everyday in military combat now in Asia and Africa.
It is also critical we stop using half-baked phrases like "No more nukes" or "Stop the Bomb" and instead replace this with simply, the more-to-the point, constant and unwavering demand to all persons who hold political power at every level of government:
"Stop the Radioactive Uranium Poisoning of the US and the rest of our planet."
Period.
Cathy Garger
Cathy Garger is a freelance writer, public speaker, activist, and a certified personal coach who specializes in Uranium weapons. Living in the shadow of the national District of Crime, Cathy is constantly nauseated by the stench emanating from the nation's capital during the Washington, DC, federal work week.
http://tinyurl.com/4a3cte or www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2192940.0.radiation_at_solway_range_hits_new_high.php
immediately pops up this new fungi research out of Scotland, blasted as if some miracle cure all over the place. Convenient timing, eh?
What are the purposes for this onslaught of this fungi news, being touted as some sort of magical cure for Depleted Uranium poisoning of the soil - and eventually contamination of underground water tables?
Undoubtedly, the first reason is to try to take the heat off the MoD right now. In other words, the average Brit will read this and be likely to think, Whew! I am so glad they found a way to clean up the DU contamination in Scotland!
Wrong.
Even if it is indeed true (?) that the fungi will somewhat help the spread of Uranium through the contaminated soils, this does not make the radioactive Uranium in the soils problem magically just disappear.
As Professor Geoffrey Gadd, team leader for this research, admitted:
"... he cautions that the minerals probably couldn't ever be considered harmless as they still contain uranium, and this could still be toxic if eaten. Nor have the Dundee team yet worked out a practical way to collect and dispose of the trapped uranium."
Soils that still contain Uranium are both toxic and radioactive - even if a mechanism such as fungi is used to help the contamination spread less readily.
There is a second point here that is being made, and this is the most frightening real-life horror story I have read in quite some time. As the BBC reports with chilling optimism:
"The research, published in the journal Current Biology, concludes that the discovery could lead to uranium-polluted soils eventually being brought back into use."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7384500.stm Goodlord, it is bad enough when they allow the radioactively soil areas to go untouched... but can you just imagine them spreading some of this fungi out in Depleted Uranium-laden soils and then trying to tell us one day that they are going to build neighborhoods and playgrounds on top of the horrendously contaminated Jefferson Proving Grounds in Indiana or the even more extensively contaminated Aberdeen Proving Grounds, where Depleted Uranium is still "tested" outdoors near Baltimore?
The possible implications for use of this fungi as some sort of environmental cure are truly chilling.
We can not possibly ever remediate Uranium contaminated soils that exist all over the country and many other parts of the world - unless unfathomably huge and prohibitively expensive, thorough remediation measures are taken.
And while we can not un-do the massive radioactive contamination that has already taken place, we must now do whatever we can to prevent Uranium from being used for any purpose. We must stop Uranium from being used in nuclear power plants, nuclear bombs, and everyday weapons currently used by our military, such as bunker busters, missiles, DU fired out of A-10 aircraft and out of tanks used everyday in military combat now in Asia and Africa.
It is also critical we stop using half-baked phrases like "No more nukes" or "Stop the Bomb" and instead replace this with simply, the more-to-the point, constant and unwavering demand to all persons who hold political power at every level of government:
"Stop the Radioactive Uranium Poisoning of the US and the rest of our planet."
Period.
Cathy Garger
Cathy Garger is a freelance writer, public speaker, activist, and a certified personal coach who specializes in Uranium weapons. Living in the shadow of the national District of Crime, Cathy is constantly nauseated by the stench emanating from the nation's capital during the Washington, DC, federal work week.
Cathy Garger
Homepage:
http://www.mytown.ca/garger
Comments
Hide the following 10 comments
Mushrooms are magic
12.05.2008 11:58
I don't see where your problem with this research lies. Will the military do the right thing with it? Probably not, but that's a function of the military not the research.
Dispersed subterranean anti-nuke networked entities for teh win!!!!1!
And here's the DOI link (
The research paper cited is:
Marina Fomina, John M. Charnock, Stephen Hillier, Rebeca Alvarez, Francis Livens, Geoffrey M. Gadd, Role of fungi in the biogeochemical fate of depleted uranium, Current Biology. Volume 18, Issue 9, 6 May 2008, Pages R375-R377. (
CH
Homepage:
http://scotland.indymedia.org/node/10330
Mushrooms are not magic - learn some fucking science you dick
12.05.2008 13:34
"I don't see where your problem with this research lies. Will the military do the right thing with it? Probably not, but that's a function of the military not the research."
Look you prat, what contaminants removed by permaculturists could possibly be as deadly as enriched uranium 235? When the most toxic substance on earth is exploded into dust and spread across land by the wind, then rained deep into the soil and water tables, if you think that planting a few mushrooms are going to clean that up then you are unbelievably thick. Get your head out of your arse and stop believing the corporate media bullshit. Yes, I am sure these mushrooms are capable of concentrating uranium as the research states, but to infer from this that they could do anything other than clean the topsoil is unbelievably naive.
Mike
Fuck off Mike.
13.05.2008 00:43
Depleted uranium is a toxic heavy metal.
Naturally occurring uranium is mostly U-238 with a tiny amount of U-235
The lighter U-235 is the radioactive isotope.
"Enriched" uranium has been treated to give higher amounts of U-235
Depleted uranium is the Opposite of "enriched" uranium.
DU is mostly U-238, toxic but non-radioactive
They use *depleted* uranium because the *enriched* (i.e. properly radioactive) uranium goes into nuclear reactors leaving behind masses of depleted uranium.
Mushrooms have root-like systems that go deep and far into the soil. If they take up a certain metal, they concentrate it. Far-dispersed pollutant --> Less-dispersed pollutant. Not a solved problem but a less challenging one.
Did I say this would fix anything? No, but it's reasonably cool research and I think it's interesting that a technique I first saw used by permaculturists is being confirmed by scientific research. "The military are bastards and shouldn't use DU" is kind of obvious and beside the point.
And in answer to your first question? Hexavalent Chromium. Now go and take a lie down you spiky prick.
CH
DU, CH and other forms of poison
13.05.2008 01:47
"Did I say this would fix anything? No, but it's reasonably cool research"
Why is it cool research ? You already knew fungi concentrate poisons, so do shellfish. That isn't good news for anyone eating wild mushrooms. You don't seriously think that fungi can be used to decontaminate the environment from the nuclear watse we are spreading into it, so why is it cool research ? I would say it is obviously irrelevant science paid for by lobbyists to hoodwink the populace into thinking nuclear waste is reversable so therefore acceptable to be used as munitions.
There is a bit of a stushy over the fact that childhood leukemia is centred close to nuclear plants.
Highly paid lobby-scientists have been employed to prove this is nothing to do with nuclear power and is probably just a virus or coincidence. They have also been paid to release mitigating stories and favourable research at this time. That is why the story is meant is only suitable for mushrooms - people kept in the dark and fed shit.
In the US, where they manufacture DU and store UF6 ( Uranium Hexafluoride ) in huge open tanks much like sewage plants, the tanks have seeped into the watertable. One of the main US sites, Paducah, is being sued by local residents for 'damaging property prices' since the courts refuse to legally acknowledge uranium is harmful to health. Fungi can't concentrate contamination it can't reach - ie above or below a few centimetres from the fungi.
DU munitions are pyrophoric upon impact, so readily aerolised - effectively it becomes a gas, This aerosol will gradually disperse and circulate in the atmosphere for longer than anyone will remember why they used these munitions. Ingesting a single particle will kill you eventually, making it more toxic than nerve gas.
Sometimes, people in the UK don't care if we drop our nuclear waste on far away countries, and 'science-news' articles like this leads them to think this is a curable problem. To instruct them on the dangers, it is worth pointing out that during the last British invasion of Iraq led to a massive cloud of uranium, which due to wind direction ended up over the UK nine days later.
God, at least the Weather God, has either a sense of humour or a sense of justice.
Danny
Is Scotland the UK's National Sacrifice Zone?
13.05.2008 02:42
1) There were two DU munition tests sites, one in Scotland and one in England. The English one was closed due to safety fears, and the Scottish one is outside the remit of the Scottish parliament
2) Thatcher shortlisted 8 sites as Nyrex 'prefered dumping sites' throughout the UK. 5 were Scottish even though the mahority of Scots are anti-nuclear.
3) Scotland is a net-exporter of electricity and yet has had unneeded nuclear power plants foisted upon it.
4) Ireland and Norway have tried to sue for the Sellafield discharge lapping up on their coasts, and although Scotland receives most of this waste due to tidal patterns, Scotland has no political voice to complain.
5) Scotland hosts the entire nuclear fleet, the entire nuclear warhead stockpile and the majority of nuclear berths. This puts only Scotland at risk from nuclear retaliation as well as the inherent risk of nuclear accidents. Despite having a fraction of the population of Plymouth, studies have shown far fewer Englsih people inhabit the greater Glasgow area.
6) Trident is not allowed to enter English ports carrying missiles but the same rules do not apply in Scotland 'for operational reasons'.
Danny
Flamed by humourless trolls
13.05.2008 12:38
CH
Humourous?
13.05.2008 16:10
Okay, I withdraw my insulting comments ("learn some fucking science" and "Get your head out of your arse and stop believing the corporate media bullshit") however I maintain everything else I have said. I do not normally swear (on Indymedia) but the insidious corporate media propaganda slant of your post combined with a bad day enraged me. Luckily I don't think many people will believe your idea that planting mushrooms will heal the earth from radioactive contamination. Also, there are more people than me who post as "Mike" so please do not hold your grudge against them too.
Mike
Thanks for the apology Mike
13.05.2008 16:51
Was this too subtle?
My comment wasn't a joke but I think the parallels between anti-nuclear activist group structures and funghi are amusing.
Much more interesting than "oh look news placed by the military", likewise hippies should appreciate the reassurance that they aren't talking pish as regards permaculture practices. (But if there's ever evidence for biodynamic planting, then you can slap me with a fish).
And I think this:
"The possible implications for use of this fungi as some sort of environmental cure are truly chilling."
is bollocks when placed next to:
"unless unfathomably huge and prohibitively expensive, thorough remediation measures are taken."
because the research is *plainly* aimed at being *part* of such a programme. You can not remediate such a large volume, you have to first concentrate the pollution to be able to work with the damned stuff. Unless
And it's not my "idea that planting mushrooms will heal the earth from radioactive contamination". Not least because I don't accept the characterisation of the earth as something that "heals". The earth doesn't give a fuck about radiation. Creatures living on it do.
No perspective in the original post and none from your completely unwarranted, factually inadequate and scientifically illiterate response.
CH
Re: Thanks for the apology Mike
14.05.2008 12:37
"No perspective in the original post and none from your completely unwarranted, factually inadequate and scientifically illiterate response."
The perspective is that there is no evidence that mushrooms concentrating radioactive material means they are an effective clean-up tool. Mushrooms might "clean" the surface but will not concentrate radiation deep in the soil. Thus this is clearly a rather convenient story to come out to take the heat off the MoD.
So I digress, I need not repeat myself again..
Mike
The vanguard springs a leak
15.05.2008 00:23
Last month it was reported that even a limited nuclear war between India and Pakistan would destroy the ozone layer. That wasn't as widely reported though as that isn't a useful a story to the elite. There was another report that proved that the closer a kid is to a nuclear power station, the more likely they are to die of leukemia. That story was virtually buried under a mass of msm PR stories about the need for more nuclear power stations.
Did you ever wonder how many DU shells were fired by British troops this month - you are an IMCista, why not put in a FOI request and build a story around that rather than promoting fluff?
Why not try to find out what happened to the missing Lockerbie DU, or how many flights flying over Edinburgh tonight still use radioactive waste as ballast ?
Danny