van der Voet Gijsbert B, Todorov Todor I, Centeno Jose A, Jonas Wayne, Ives John, Mullick Florabel G
Division of Biophysical Toxicology, Department of Environmental and Infectious Disease Sciences, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 6825 16th NW, Washington, DC 20306-6000, USA.
Mil Med. 2007 Sep;172(9):1002-5. doi: 10.7205/milmed.172.9.1002.
Tungsten and tungsten compounds are considered toxicologically relatively safe. Concern regarding the potential health and environmental effects of depleted uranium and lead in military applications has lead many countries to explore the possibility of applying toxicologically safer metals. Heavy metal tungsten alloy-based munitions have been therefore introduced as a replacement in munitions and as kinetic energy penetrators. Although the toxicological profiles of all these metals are well known, their internalization as embedded shrapnel may be considered a new route for long-term exposure. Studies in experimental animals and cell culture indicate that pellets based on heavy metal tungsten alloy possess carcinogenic potential previously unseen for depleted uranium and/or lead. Other metals in the tungsten alloy such as nickel or cobalt may contribute to such a risk. Accordingly, the long-term tungsten-related health risk is reason for concern. This article reviews toxicological and clinical literature and provides new perspectives on tungsten and tungsten-based alloys.
钨及其化合物在毒理学上被认为相对安全。由于对军事应用中贫铀和铅可能产生的健康及环境影响的担忧，许多国家开始探索应用毒理学上更安全金属的可能性。因此，重金属钨合金弹药已被引入，作为弹药的替代品和动能穿甲弹。尽管所有这些金属的毒理学特征已为人熟知，但它们作为嵌入弹片被人体吸收可能被视为一种长期暴露的新途径。对实验动物和细胞培养的研究表明，基于重金属钨合金的弹丸具有贫铀和/或铅以前未出现过的致癌潜力。钨合金中的其他金属，如镍或钴，可能会导致这种风险。因此，与钨相关的长期健康风险值得关注。本文综述了毒理学和临床文献，并提供了关于钨及钨基合金的新观点。
