Barium ingestion

Other substances can affect barium pharmacokinetics. One study showed that sodium alginate could reduce retention of orally administered barium, possibly by inhibiting reabsorption in the gut (Sutton et al. 1972). This could be useful in treating cases of acute barium ingestion. Lysine and lactose increase absorption of barium and could increase the toxic effects of oral exposure (Lengemann 1959). 

Perry HM Jr, Kopp SJ, Erlanger MW, et al. 1983. Cardiovascular effects of chronic barium ingestion. Trace Subst Environ Health 17 155-164. 

C. Barium ingestions (see p 127). Magnesium sulfate can be used orally to convert soluble barium to insoluble, nonabsorbable barium sulfate if given early. 

E. For soluble barium ingestions, magnesium sulfate can be given to form insoluble, poorly absorbed barium sulfate. Adults should receive 30 g orally or by lavage and children 250 mg/kg. 

The more soluble forms of barium such as the carbonate, chloride, acetate, sulfide, oxide, and nitrate, tend to be more acutely toxic (50). Mean lethal doses for ingested barium chloride were 300—500 mg/kg in rats and 7—29 mg/kg in mice (47). 

The common acid acceptors, red lead oxide and barium carbonate, are both toxic when inhaled or ingested. They are, and should be, used in industry as dispersions in EPDM and ECO. SuppHers of red lead oxide include Polymeries, Inc., Rhein Chemie Corp., and Akrochem Co., Akron, Ohio. Barium carbonate in an ECO binder is available from Rhein Chemie Corp. and Synthetic Products Co. 

Barium enema A diagnostic test using x-ray examination to view the lower gastrointestinal tract (colon and rectum) after oral ingestion of barium sulfate, a chalky liquid contrast medium. 

The digestive tract shows up very faintly in X-ray scans. J The ingestion of barium Ban M sulfate allows a good... 

Barium sulfate (BaSO ), as mentioned, is used in medicine as an opaque liquid medium to block X-rays when ingested, thus providing an image of ulcers and intestinal problems. It is also used in the manufacture of paints, rubber, and plastics. 

Several of bariums compounds are explosive as well as toxic if ingested or inhaled. Care should be used when working with barium and other alkali metals in the laboratory or in industry. 

Barium cyanide is a deadly poison. Ingestion of a small amount can cause death. 

Ammonium Carbonate,(Nil 4)2C03 mw 96.09, col cryst plates si toxic (Ref 12,p 275). See also Spec MIL-A- 13938. DeMent (Ref 14) used this compd in smoke producing compns and Stevenson (Ref 11) used it to vaporize diphenylchloroarsine other smokes Barium Carbonate, BaC03 mw 197.37, wh powd, mp 1740 at 90atm, bp dec, d 4.43 this compd is poisonous when ingested (Ref 12,pp 331-2). It is used in expl mixts in pyrotechnics. (See also Spec JAN- B- 624)... 

Solubility is an obvious factor in determining the toxicity of systemic poisons. These must be soluble in body fluids or converted to a soluble form in the organ or system through which they are introduced into the body. Some insoluble substances that are ingested pass through the gastrointestinal tract without doing harm, whereas they would be quite toxic if they could dissolve in body fluids (see the example of barium sulfate cited above). 

Death occurred in six cases of accidental or intentional ingestion of barium salts. Two deaths were due to cardiac arrest, one was due to severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and in three cases the specific cause was not determined (Das and Singh 1970 Diengott et al. 1964 McNally 1925 Ogen et al. 1967 Talwar and Sharma 1979). Doses in these cases were not known. 

Respiratory Effects. Respiratory weakness and paralysis requiring mechanical ventilation were frequently observed in cases of acute ingestion of barium salts by humans (Das and Singh 1970 Gould et al. 1973 Lewi and Bar-Khayim 1964 Morton 1945 Ogen et al. 1967 Phelan et al. 1984 Wetherill et al. 1981). 

Acute intravasation of barium sulfate into the circulatory system of an adult female patient following a barium enema procedure caused the compound to be deposited in blood vessels throughout the body, including the lungs, and resulted in respiratoryfailure (Cove and Snyder 1974). Acute parenteral administration of barium compounds to animals has been shown to result in paralysis of the respiratory muscles (Roza and Berman 1971). Similar respiratory paralysis is frequently encountered in cases of acute exposure in humans and animals by ingestion or inhalation. Intratracheal administration of barium sulfate into rat lungs produced a mild inflammatory reaction (Huston et al. 1952). Barium sulfate could not be removed by either polymorphonuclear leukocytes or monocytes. A tissue reaction followed however, no fibrosis was observed. Since this mode of entry is similar to inhalation, these results may be significant for cases of inhalation exposure. 

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