BRUSSELS, Jan 3 (AFP) - NATO military authorities played down on Tuesday the chances that depleted uranium used in some of its weapons could be linked to the death of European military personnel who have served in the Balkans.

A spokesman at NATO headquarters in Mons said "current research indicates it would be virtually impossible for a person to inhale enough depleted uranium particules for it to be a health risk."  NATO admitted last month that more than 10,000 depleted uranium (DU) projectiles were used in Bosnia between 1994 and 1995. DU weapons are denser than conventional arms, which means they can penetrate heavy armour more easily. In addition to Bosnia, they were used in Kosovo in 1999 and Iraq in 1990 and 1991.

"The health hazard presented by exposure to the remnants of rounds is not unlike to exposure to any heavy metal such as mercury or lead," the spokesman said, adding that it could cause complications if ingested.

"The depleted uranium contains 40 percent less radioactive uranium than natural uranium that is found in soil and rocks," he said.

The military in several European countries have been trying to establish whether there is a link between DU weapons and Balkans Syndrome, the name given to unusual health problems suffered by people who served as peacekeepers in the region.