Uranium Isotopes: From Geosciences to Biomedical Sciences

Current biomarkers of uranium (U) exposure do not distinguish among exposure sources or provide information on uranium accumulation within target organs. This review evaluates two complementary uranium isotope systems developed in geosciences and examines their potential as biomarkers of uranium exposure and biological processing.

Advances in multi-collector ICP-MS have established δ²³⁸U and uranium activity ratios or (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) as independent isotope tracers. Experimental studies show that δ²³⁸U fractionates during biological uptake, transport, and tissue retention, whereas uranium activity ratios remain largely unchanged after absorption and generally preserve environmental source signatures across groundwater, food webs, and biological systems. These complementary isotope systems provide information on both the origin of uranium exposure and its biological fate that cannot be obtained from concentration measurements alone. Although additional experimental validation and human studies are needed, existing analytical capabilities and mechanistic evidence support evaluating two uranium isotope tracers, δ²³⁸U and the activity ratio, as novel biomarkers of uranium exposure and biotransformation.