Barium compounds that do not dissolve well in water are not generally harmful and are often used by doctors for medical purposes. Exposure to barium occurs mostly in the workplace or from drinking contaminated water. Barium compounds are also used to make paint, bricks, ceramics, glass, and rubber. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ADVICE ON HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, CONTACT THE HEATLH AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING LABORATORY AT 207-287-1716. Possible Source of Contamination Barium pollution may come from natural sources or can enter water supplies through industrial waste discharges. For drinking water the maximum contaminant level set by the EPA and used by the PADEP is 2.0 mg/L or 2000 ppb. In medicine, barium sulfate is used to perform medical tests and to take x-rays of the gastrointestinal tract. TDI of Barium 6 3.1. Most barium released to the environment from industrial sources is in forms that do not become widely dispersed. Contact: NIEHS, PO Box 12233, 104 T.W. Research added barium to chemical that will help to prevent oil to pollute water and the rest of the environment. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 7, 9-24 (1983) Sources of Cadmium in the Environment' M. HuTTON Monitoring and Assessment Research Centre, Chelsea College, University of London, The Octagon Building, 459a Fulham Road, London SW10 OQX United Kingdom Received August, 1981 This paper is concerned with quantifying the major sources of cadmium in the … Barium can suggest the presence of industrial waste, mixing of natural saline and brine waters, salt water intrusion, and other sources. In the atmosphere, barium is likely to be present in particulate form. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is the principal federal agency for biomedical research on the effects of chemical, physical, and biologic environmental agents on human health and well-being. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 • Phone: 919-541-3212. Barium is a divalent cation and alkaline earth metal that can be found in naturally occurring mineral deposits. in the production Ingesting high levels of barium can cause problems with the heart, stomach, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Even though the pure form of barium is hardly found in the nature, the chemical reaction of barium creates shield when people create well to find oil from natural source. This chemical has been found in at least 649 of 1,416 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency. Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. Barium in the Environment. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal.Because of its high chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a free element.. BARIUM AND BARIUM COMPOUNDS Please note that the layout and pagination of this pdf file are not identical to those of the printed CICAD First draft prepared by Dr Harlal Choudhury, National Center for Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and SOURCES 7 3.1 Natural Occurrence 7 3.2 Production Sources 8 3.2.1 Mining and Milling of Barite 8 3.2.2 Barium Metal 9 3.3 Product Sources 10 3.3.1 Ground Barite 10 3.3.2 Principal Barium Compounds 11 3.3.3 Diesel Fuel Additives 14 3.4 Environmental Air Concentrations 21 4. The most common minerals of barium are baryte (barium sulfate, BaSO 4) and witherite (barium carbonate, BaCO 3), both insoluble in water. Referrals Barium is a soft, silvery-white metal that becomes a silvery to yellow colored metal when exposed to air.Barium only occurs in combination with other elements and it has two major forms, barium sulfate or barite and barium carbonate or witherite, which are usually found in nature as underground ore deposits. The health effects of the different barium compounds depend on how well the compound dissolves in water. Activities like mining, refining, burning coal and oil, and producing barium compounds release barium into the air. Sources of Barium Humans are exposed to barium from a variety of sources: via the environment where it naturally occurs, via drinking water and the diet, via consumer products, including toys and also occupationally, being used in many industrial applications (i.e. Maximum contaminant level set by the ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency medical purposes QUESTIONS or ADVICE... 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