Uranium is a natural occurring element found in different amounts of concentrations throughout our environment. It is found in significant quantities on earth in our soil, water, and rocks. For a number of decades, there were more than hundreds of mining companies dedicated to mining uranium for its use, more than 500 were found on the Navajo nation and at a certain point all were abandoned. When found in high concentrations, uranium is radioactive and can have overall effects on the human health due to it being a toxic metal. These abandoned mines found on reservations often lead to waste exposure and because many of these Native American communities do not have access to public drinking water, they find other sources to drink from. This runoff of this toxic metal into their soil and ground water is leading to exposure when consumed, it is highly unregulated and in conclusion is leading to the high numbers of chronic diseases and birth defects in their women.
Original Article(s): Dashner-Titus, Erica J, et al. “Metal Exposure and Oxidative Stress Markers in Pregnant Navajo Birth Cohort Study Participants.” Free Radical Biology and Medicine, vol. 124, (2018)
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