Toxicological profile for barium and barium compounds

25 

BARIUM AND BARIUM COMPOUNDS 

3.  HEALTH EFFECTS 

Renal Effects.

    Renal failure occurred in a 22-year-old worker accidentally exposed by acute 

inhalation to barium carbonate powder (Shankle and Keane 1988).  No studies were located regarding 

renal effects in animals after inhalation exposure to barium. 

Body Weight Effects.

    A 21% decrease in body weight gain was observed in rats exposed to 3.6 mg 

barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust for 4 months (Tarasenko et al. 1977). 

Metabolic Effects.

    Decreases in plasma potassium concentrations were observed in two groups of 

welders using barium-containing electrodes; the barium levels in the work environment were 4.4 and 

0.3 mg/m

3

 (Zschiesche et al. 1992).  However, this was not observed in a third group of welders exposed 

to 2.0 mg barium/m

3

.  A low serum potassium level was also observed in a worker accidentally exposed 

to barium carbonate powder (Shankle and Keane 1988).  Additionally, the plasma potassium 

concentrations were not statistically different from levels measured prior to barium exposure.  Tarasenko 

et al. (1977) reported a decrease in urinary calcium levels and increased blood phosphorus levels in rats 

exposed to 3.6 mg barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust for an intermediate duration (Tarasenko et al. 

1977).  This study also reported a decrease in blood glucose levels in barium-exposed rats. 

3.2.1.3  Immunological and Lymphoreticular Effects  

No studies were located regarding immunological effects in humans or animals after inhalation exposure 

to barium. 

3.2.1.4  Neurological Effects 

Absence of deep tendon reflexes was observed in a 22-year-old man accidentally exposed by acute 

inhalation to barium carbonate powder (Shankle and Keane 1988); as noted previously, this is probably 

due to the barium-induced low potassium levels.  No studies were located regarding neurological effects 

in animals after inhalation exposure to barium. 

3.2.1.5  Reproductive Effects  

No studies were located regarding reproductive effects in humans after inhalation exposure to barium.  

Only one limited report was available regarding reproductive effects in animals following intermediate 

inhalation exposure to barium carbonate (Tarasenko et al. 1977).  Disturbances in spermatogenesis, 

including decreased number of sperm, decreased percentage of motile sperm, and decreased osmotic 

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26 

BARIUM AND BARIUM COMPOUNDS 

3.  HEALTH EFFECTS 

resistance of sperm, were reportedly observed in male rats exposed by inhalation for one cycle of 

spermatogenesis to 15.8 mg barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust.  The testicles of these treated rats 

reportedly had an increase in the number of ducts with desquamated epithelium and a reduced number of 

ducts with 12

th

-stage meiosis.  The condition of the testicles of treated rats returned to normal 30 days 

after cessation of barium carbonate treatment (Tarasenko et al. 1977).  Similar observations were noted in 

a second experiment in which male rats were exposed by inhalation for an intermediate period to 3.6 mg 

barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust.  In a third experiment by the same authors, female rats exposed by 

inhalation for an intermediate period to 2.2 or 9.4 mg barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust reportedly 

developed a shortened estrous cycle and alterations in the morphological structure of the ovaries. 

3.2.1.6  Developmental Effects 

No studies were located regarding developmental effects in humans after inhalation exposure to barium.  

Only one limited report was available regarding developmental effects in animals after intermediate 

inhalation exposure to barium (Tarasenko et al. 1977).  Reduced survival, underdevelopment, lowered 

weight gain, and various hematologic alterations (erythropenia, leukocytosis, eosinophilia, neutrophilia) 

were reported in the offspring of female rats exposed by inhalation for an intermediate period to 2.2 or 

9.4 mg barium/m

3

 as barium carbonate dust (Tarasenko et al. 1977).  No other significant details 

regarding this developmental study were reported. 

3.2.1.7  Cancer 

No studies were located regarding cancer in humans or animals after inhalation exposure to barium. 

3.2.2 

Oral Exposure  

The majority of studies evaluating the health effects of barium are oral exposure studies.  The available 

oral studies include numerous case reports of humans exposed orally to barium through accidental or 

intentional ingestion, several epidemiological and statistical investigations of humans exposed to drinking 

water containing barium, and various experimental animal studies involving acute, intermediate, or 

chronic exposure to barium either by gavage or by drinking water.  Findings from the various oral studies 

are summarized below. 

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27 

BARIUM AND BARIUM COMPOUNDS 

3.  HEALTH EFFECTS 

3.2.2.1  Death 

Death has been reported in a number of case reports of accidental or intentional ingestion of barium salts.  

The cause of death was attributed to cardiac arrest, severe gastrointestinal hemorrhage, or unknown 

causes (Das and Singh 1970; Deng et al. 1991; Diengott et al. 1964; Downs et al. 1995; Jourdan et al. 

2001; McNally 1925; Ogen et al. 1967; Talwar and Sharma 1979).  Doses in these cases were not known. 

In addition to case reports of death in humans, several studies have examined mortality rates in residents 

living in communities with elevated barium levels in the drinking water (Brenniman and Levy 1985; 

Brenniman et al. 1979a, 1979b, 1981; Elwood et al. 1974; Schroeder and Kraemer 1974).  Two studies 

found no statistical correlations between barium concentrations in drinking water and total mortality 

and/or cardiovascular mortality rates in exposed populations (Elwood et al. 1974; Schroeder and Kraemer 

1974).  Interpretation of the study results are limited by the lack of information on exposure conditions 

(dose, duration, frequency) and the number of people exposed.  Results of a third study indicated that 

relative to communities with little or no barium in drinking water, communities with elevated 

concentrations of barium in their drinking water had significantly higher mortality rates for all causes, 

heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and all cardiovascular disease (Brenniman and Levy 1985; Brenniman et al. 

1979a, 1979b, 1981).  This epidemiological study had a number of confounding variables, including 

possible use in the study population of home water softeners that would remove barium from the drinking 

water, inclusion of communities that had significant changes in population, lack of a way to control for 

length of time an individual lived in a community, and widely varying concentrations of other 

contaminants (calcium, sodium, magnesium) in the drinking water.   

The LD

50 

values for barium chloride in rats range from 132 to 277 mg barium/kg (Borzelleca et al. 1988; 

Tardiff et al. 1980).  Significant increases in mortality were observed in rats and mice exposed to 200 or 

450 mg barium/kg/day as barium chloride in drinking water for 90 days (NTP 1994).  Survival was not 

affected at 110 or 205 mg barium/kg/day in the rats or mice, respectively.  No changes in mortality were 

observed in rats chronically exposed to doses as high as 60 mg barium/kg/day as barium chloride in the 

drinking water (NTP 1994).  An increase in mortality, attributable to nephropathy, was observed in mice 

chronically exposed to 160 mg barium/kg/day as barium chloride in drinking water (NTP 1994); the 

number of deaths was similar to controls in mice exposed to 75 mg barium/kg/day.  In male mice exposed 

to 0.95 mg barium/kg/day as barium acetate in drinking water, a significant decrease in longevity (defined 

as average lifespan of the last five surviving animals) was observed; however, no significant differences 

in mean lifespan were observed (Schroeder and Mitchener 1975b).  Similarly, lifespan was not 

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