Barium (Ba)

Barium is an alkaline earth metal, principally found as barite (barium sulfate) and witherite (barium carbonate) ores. Barium and barium compounds have a variety of uses including as getters in electronic tubes (barium alloys), rodenticide (barium carbonate), colorant in paints (barium carbonate and barium sulfate), and x-ray contrast medium (barium sulfate). Barium naturally occurs in food and groundwater.

Some barium compounds are toxic. Although barium carbonate is relatively insoluble in water, it is toxic to humans because it is soluble in the gastrointestinal tract. Barium sulfate, however, is insoluble and for this reason, it is used in medicine as a contrast media for x-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract. Barium provides an opaque contrasting medium when ingested or given by enema prior to x-ray examination. Under these routine medical situations, barium sulfate is generally safe. However, barium sulfate or other insoluble barium compounds may potentially be toxic when it is introduced into the gastrointestinal tract under conditions where there is colon cancer or perforations of the gastrointestinal tract, conditions that allow barium to enter the blood stream.

Barium is a competitive potassium channel antagonist that blocks the passive efflux of intracellular potassium, resulting in a shift of potassium from extracellular to intracellular compartments. The net result of this shift is a significant decrease in the potassium concentration in the blood plasma. While case reports did not provide information on doses, it is likely that the doses were high. In addition to the effects associated with hypokalemia, gastrointestinal effects such as vomiting, abdominal cramps, and watery diarrhea are typically reported shortly after ingestion. Similar effects have been reported in cases of individuals exposed to very high concentrations of airborne barium; the effects include electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, muscle weakness and paralysis, hypokalemia, and abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting.

Barium is released into the environment through fireworks. Workers in barium mining or processing industries and individuals who reside near such industries might be exposed to relatively high levels, primarily through the inhalation of fugitive dust containing barium compounds. The use of barium in the form of organometallic compounds as a smoke suppressant in diesel fuels results in the release of solids to the atmosphere (Miner 1969a; Ng and Patterson 1982; Schroeder 1970).

A population-based study found significant increases in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease among residents 65 years of age and older living in communities with high levels of barium in the drinking water.

The process of drilling for crude oil and natural gas generates waste drilling fluids or muds, which are often disposed of by land farming. Most of these fluids are water based and contain barite and other metal salts. Thus, barium may be introduced into soils as the result of land farming these slurried reserve pit wastes. The use of barium fluorosilicate and carbonate as insecticides might also contribute to the presence of barium in agricultural soils.

The EPA has concluded that barium is not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity, Group D. However, under EPA’s revised guidelines for carcinogen risk assessment, barium is considered not likely to be carcinogenic to humans following oral exposure and its carcinogenic potential cannot be determined following inhalation exposure.

The primary routes of exposure of humans to barium are consumption of food and water and inhalation of ambient air. For the diagnosis of barium exposure, blood, urine and hair are used.