Barium poisonings are uncommon and usually result from accidental contamination of food sources, suicidal ingestion, or occupational inhalation exposure. Accidental mass poisoning has occurred owing to the addition of barium carbonate to flour and the contamination of table salt.

Barium is a dense alkaline earth metal that exists in nature as a divalent cation in combination with other elements. The water-soluble barium salts (acetate, carbonate, chloride, fluoride, hydroxide, nitrate, and sulfide) are highly toxic, whereas the insoluble salt, barium sulfate, is nontoxic because it is poorly absorbed. Soluble barium salts are found in depilatories, fireworks, ceramic glazes, and rodenticides and are used in the manufacture of glass and in dyeing textiles. Barium sulfide and polysulfide may also produce hydrogen sulfide toxicity (See Hydrogen Sulfide). Barium may also enter the air during mining and refining processes, the burning of coal and gas, and the production of barium compounds. The oil and gas industries use barium compounds to make drilling mud. Drilling mud lubricates the drill while it passes through rocks.

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   Mechanism of toxicity

   
   
   
   
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      Systemic barium poisoning

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