Barium is a potentially harmful element that can cause a number of gastrointestinal problems if a person is exposed to enough of it. Unfortunately, it is difficult to detect how much exposure to barium one has on a daily basis because exposure can come from a number of different sources.

What is Barium?

Barium (atomic number: 56, element symbol: Ba) is a chemical element found in ores containing other elements. Due to barium's high reactivity with air, the purest form of the metal is virtually impossible to be found in nature. Barium is a soft, silvery-white Earth metal that combines with other elements to form what are called "barium compounds." The most common barium compounds found naturally are barium sulfate (barium, sulfur & oxygen) and barium carbonate (barium, carbon & oxygen).

Chemically, barium is similar to calcium, but with a much higher reactivity level. When barium is exposed to air, it immediately oxidizes. The element is also highly reactive with water and alcohol. In fact, when barium comes in contact with alcohol, it produces hydrogen gas.

How am I Exposed to Barium?

Exposure to barium can come from a number of different sources, but the most popular is from the drinking of contaminated water. The Environmental Protection Agency has 1,684 sites listed under its National Priority List, of which 798 have known barium and barium compound levels exceeding safe amounts.

The workplace is another area where a large number of barium exposure cases can occur. Certain jobs place an individual in direct contact with barium on a daily basis. Such jobs that have a high risk of barium exposure include the mining, refining, glass working and coal industry.

Patients who need x-rays of the upper-gastrointestinal tract will sometimes have to drink a barium sulfate drink because barium salts are radioopaque, which means they can be more easily seen with an x-ray. Barium enemas are used when a patient needs an x-ray of their colon. Because barium is highly insoluable in water, barium meals and barium enemas are not as detrimental to the health of the patient. However, if a bowel perforation is suspected, barium will more than likely not be used in an effort to prevent the barium from leaking into the peritoneal cavity.

Other ways you can get exposed to barium include:

• Living near a waste site where barium is disposed of
• Eating fish that was caught in waters containing high levels of barium
• Eating foods, drinking water or breathing in air that has trace amounts of barium over a long period of time
• Working in the barium industry

How does Barium get into the Environment?

Barium most commonly finds its way into the environment during the process of burning coal and oil. It can also enter the atmosphere during the mining and refining processes as well as during the creation of barium compounds. Since barium carbonate and barium sulfate do not dissolve very well in water, they can exist for a lengthy time in the environment but other barium compounds like barium chloride, barium nitrate and barium hydroxide have a much shorter life cycle in the environment.

What are the Symptoms of Barium Exposure?

The symptoms of barium exposure typically depend on which barium compound the individual was exposed to. Barium sulfates, as stated earlier, do not dissolve well in water, so the body can quickly expel them without facing any real health concerns. But other barium compounds are not so easily forgiving. For instance, barium acetate is highly poisonous to humans and can ultimately be fatal in high doses.

The most common symptoms of mild barium exposure include:

Extended exposure to high levels of barium has been found to cause changes in heart rhythm, kidney problems, significant weight loss, paralysis and death. Currently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the EPA and the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) have not classified barium as a carcinogenic agent.

How Do I Test Myself for Barium Exposure?

Medical specialists can perform tests on the body's tissues and fluids to determine the level of barium in the body. Barium levels in the body can be measured through bone, blood, feces or urine samples. However, there are no current tests available for measuring the level of barium exposure or the length of time someone has been exposed to the element.