Barium
Ba
56
137.33
1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d10
5s25p66s2
Biological significance

➤ Localized in the retina, muscle and bone tissue.

➤ Low concentrations help to relax muscles, while high concentrations cause muscle contraction.

➤ In leukemia, the content of Barium in plasma and red blood cells is increased.

➤ Determination of the amount of Barium is used to diagnose and predict the treatment of leukemia.

Excess in the body

➤ The total mass of Ba in an adult human body is about 20 mg.

➤ In excessive amounts, myopathy, hypertension, and nephropathy are observed.


Deficiency in the body

➤ It has a variable effect on smooth muscle tone, causes central nervous system disorders and exhausts the body.

Drugs/dose

➤ BaSO4, an aqueous suspension, is used for X-ray imaging of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines.

➤ Ba(OH)2 is used as a catalyst in cement for attaching orthodontic structures and pastes in dentistry.



Conventional medicine

➤ Barium sulfate is used in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases as an X-ray contrast agent.

➤ Chemically pure BaSO4 is used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Unconventional medicine

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Toxic effect/antidote

➤ Soluble barium salts have a toxic effect that can cause a number of symptoms, such as: gastrointestinal upset, vertigo, pharyngeal reflex, abdominal cramps, involuntary contractions, hypertension, unnatural skin color of the face and extremities, inability to function of the tongue and larynx muscles, loss of visual acuity.

➤ It enters the body through the respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal tract.

➤ It can be fatal due to paralysis of the heart muscle.


➤ Antidote: sodium or magnesium sulfates.

Interesting facts

➤ All Ba salts, except sulphates, are poisonous.

➤ Pure Ba is only used in vacuum technology as a getter (gas absorber).

➤ BaSO4 is a part of expensive paper grades.

➤ Barium titanate BaTiO3 is one of the main ferroelectrics (high dielectric constant).

➤ Barium titanate BaTiO3 retains its ferroelectric properties up to +125 C.o

➤ Ba+2 salts colour the flame green.

Chemist Karl Scheele
on how he discovered Barium


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