CAS# 7440-39-3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This fact sheet answers the most frequently asked health questions about barium. For more information, you may call the ATSDR Information Center at 1-888-422-8737. This fact sheet is one in a series of summaries about hazardous substances and their health effects. This information is important because this substance may harm you. The effects of exposure to any hazardous substance depend on the dose, the duration, how you are exposed, personal traits and habits, and whether other chemicals are present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Exposure to barium occurs mostly in the workplace or from drinking contaminated water. Ingesting high levels of barium can cause problems with the heart, stomach, liver, kidneys, and other organs. This chemical has been found in at least 649 of 1,416 National Priorities List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency.