Please conduct a current literature search and check the appropriate current online database for the most recent quantitative information. Animal studies have reported inflammatory reactions in the nasal passages and kidney damage from acute inhalation exposure to uranium. Limited information is available on the reproductive or developmental effects of the radionuclides. Animal studies have reported fetal toxicity and degenerative changes in the testes from oral exposure to uranium.
Cancer is the major effect of concern from the radionuclides.
Radium, via oral exposure, is known to cause lung, bone, brain, and nasal passage tumors in humans , and radon, via inhalation exposure, causes lung cancer in humans. Uranium may cause lung cancer and tumors of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues . EPA has classified radium as a Group A, human carcinogen , and EPA has not classified radon or uranium for carcinogenicity. Exceedance of the RfD does not imply that an adverse health effect would necessarily occur. As the amount and frequency of exposures exceeding the RfD increase, the probability of adverse health effects also increases.