It is an element of grey/white color usually intermixed in nature with sulfur or with carbon and oxygen.
It is used the industry in order to drill better in the mud.
Barium keeps drilling machinery in good condition.
In addition barium is used also in the preparation of colors, white, ceramics, rubber and glass.
Sulfuric barium is used by doctors in X-ray pipe tests for digestion
How are we exposed to barium?
By consuming small amounts that are in food and water or by aspiration of contaminated air in low levels.
By occupational exposure.
By living in places adjacent to industrial areas and the aspiration of the dust that contains small amounts of barium
How the barium influences on my health?
The effect depends of the capacity of our body to dissolve barium.
For example sulfuric barium is dissolved slowly and it is not very harmful to the body.
In contrast with exposure to barium in toxicity levels it can provoke disorders in digestion system.
Within 1 to 4 hours it will cause hypoglycemia decreasing the potassium that will provoke weakness in muscles and progressively will cause paralysis of them and breath system.
Food containing barium
Certain fish
Algae
Walnuts