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Gulf War syndrome, which has left a quarter of a million veterans suffering long-term illness, may have been caused by exposure to sarin nerve agent - not debris from depleted uranium munitions, a study has found.

Scientists from the University of Portsmouth believe the symptoms suffered by thousands might have been caused by the toxic gas released widely when troops destroyed caches of Iraqi chemical weapons.

The illness affects about 250,000 of the 750,000-plus service personnel from the armed forces of the UK, US and other allied nations who served in the conflict between August 1990 and February 1991.

It has caused a range of acute and chronic symptoms including fatigue, headaches, joint pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders and memory problems, and scientists believe it appears rooted in neurological impairment.

Researchers tested sufferers to examine levels of residual depleted uranium in their bodies and say their study “conclusively proves” that none of them were exposed to any significant amounts of the radioactive substance.

A highly sensitive method of testing in conjunction with metabolic modelling was used which took into account the predicted decline in depleted uranium from normal metabolism over the time since any potential exposure.

Professor Randall Parrish developed a method of detecting depleted uranium in urine from an exposure many years earlier and tested 154 well-monitored US Gulf War veterans who have the illness.

There was no trace of depleted uranium in any of the samples, and the testing was said to be 10 times more sensitive than previous procedures.

Prof Parrish said: “For decades, medics and scientists have been looking for the elusive cause of Gulf War illness.

“That depleted uranium is not and never was in the bodies of those who are ill at sufficient quantities to cause disease will surprise many, including sufferers who have, for 30 years, suspected depleted uranium may have contributed to their illness.”

Prof Parrish said the most likely remaining causes for the illness were low-level and widespread exposure to sarin nerve agent, possibly compounded by the use of organophosphate anti-nerve agent medication and the liberal use of pesticides to prevent malaria exposure to allied forces.

He said: “Depleted uranium munitions were used in the conflict as an effective weapon to destroy Iraqi tanks and its use has littered Iraq and Kuwait with uranium contamination, potentially affecting local people.”

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