Barium

(/ˈbɛəriəm/ BAIR-ee-əm) is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and atomic number 56. It is
the fifth element in Group 2, a soft silvery metallic alkaline earth metal. Barium is never found in
nature in its pure form due to its reactivity with air. Its oxide is historically known as baryta but it
reacts with water and carbon dioxide and is not found as a mineral. The most common naturally
occurring minerals are the very insoluble barium sulfate, BaSO4 (barite), and barium carbonate,
BaCO3 (witherite). Barium's name originates from Greek barys (βαρύς), meaning "heavy",
describing the high density of some common barium-containing ores.

Barium has few industrial uses, but the metal has been historically used to scavenge air in
vacuum tubes. Barium compounds impart a green color to flames and have been used in
fireworks. Barium sulfate is used for its density, insolubility, and X-ray opacity. It is used as an
insoluble heavy mud-like paste when drilling oil wells, and in purer form, as an X-ray
radiocontrast agent for imaging the human gastrointestinal tract. Soluble barium compounds are
poisonous due to release of the soluble barium ion, and have been used as rodenticides. New uses
for barium continue to be sought. For example, it is a component of some "high temperature"
YBCO superconductors.

Contents
 1 Characteristics
o 1.1 Physical properties
o 1.2 Chemical properties
o 1.3 Isotopes
o 1.4 Occurrence
 2 Production
 3 Compounds
 4 History
 5 Applications
o 5.1 Applications of barium compounds
 5.1.1 Applications of other barium compounds
 6 Precautions
o 6.1 Non-toxicity of barium sulfate
 7 See also
 8 References
 9 External links
Characteristics

Barite

Physical properties

Barium is a soft and ductile metal. Its simple compounds are notable for their relatively high (for
an alkaline earth element) specific gravity. This is true of the most common barium-bearing
mineral, its sulfate barite BaSO4, also called 'heavy spar' due to the high density (4.5 g/cm³).

Chemical properties

Barium is a highly reducing metal. It reacts exothermically with oxygen at room temperature to
form barium oxide and peroxide. The reaction is violent if barium is powdered. It also reacts
violently with dilute acids, alcohol and water

Ba + 2 H2O → Ba(OH)2 + H2↑

Barium combines with several metals, including aluminium, zinc, lead and tin, forming
intermetallic compounds and alloys.[1]

Isotopes

Main article: Isotopes of barium

Naturally occurring barium is a mix of seven stable isotopes, the most abundant being 138Ba
(71.7 %). There are twenty-two isotopes known, but most of these are highly radioactive and
have half-lives in the several millisecond to several day range. The only notable exceptions are
133
Ba which has a half-life of 10.51 years, and 137mBa (2.55 minutes).[2] 133Ba is a standard
calibrant for gamma-ray detectors in nuclear physics studies.

Occurrence

The abundance of barium is 0.0425 % in the Earth's crust and 13 µg/L in sea water. It occurs in
the minerals barite (as the sulfate) and witherite (as the carbonate).[1] Athough witherite deposits
were mine from the 17th century till 1969[3] in northern England, for example in the
Settlingstones Mine near Newbrough,[4] today nearly all barium is mined as barite.

A rare gem containing barium is known, called benitoite. Large deposits of barite are found in
China, Germany, India, Morocco, and in the US.[5]

Production

Trend in world production of barite

Because barium quickly oxidizes in air, it is difficult to obtain the free metal and it is never
found free in nature. The metal is primarily found in, and extracted from, barite. Because barite
is so insoluble, it cannot be used directly for the preparation of other barium compounds, or
barium metal. Instead, the ore is heated with carbon to reduce it to barium sulfide:[6]

BaSO4 + 2 C → BaS + 2 CO2

The barium sulfide is then hydrolyzed or treated with acids to form other barium compounds,
such as the chloride, nitrate, and carbonate.

Barium is commercially produced through the electrolysis of molten barium chloride (BaCl2):

(cathode) Ba2+ + 2 e− → Ba
(anode) 2 Cl– → Cl2 + 2 e−

Barium metal is also obtained by the reduction of barium oxide with finely divided aluminium at
temperatures between 1100 and 1200 °C:

4 BaO + 2 Al → BaO·Al2O3 + 3 Ba
The barium vapor is cooled and condensed to give the solid metal, which can be cast into rods or
extruded into wires. Being a flammable solid, it is packaged under argon in steel containers or
plastic bags.[1]

Compounds
Ba2+ is the dominant oxidation state throughout the chemistry of barium. Its properties generally
resemble those of other alkaline earth ions such as strontium and calcium. All halides,
pseudohalides and chalcogenides are known, usually as colourless solids. The sulfate is famously
insoluble. BaO forms a peroxide when heated in air. The oxide is basic and reacts with acids to
give salts. Barium reduces oxides, chlorides and sulfides of less active metals. For example:

Ba + CdO → BaO + Cd
Ba + ZnCl2 → BaCl2 + Zn
3 Ba + Al2S3 → 3 BaS + 2 Al

At elevated temperatures, barium combines with nitrogen and hydrogen to produce the nitride
Ba3N2 and hydride BaH2, respectively. When heated with nitrogen and carbon, it forms the
cyanide:

Ba + N2 + 2 C → Ba(CN)2

History
Barium's name originates from Greek βαρύς barys, meaning "heavy", describing the density of
some common barium-containing ores. Alchemists in the early Middle Ages knew about some
barium minerals. Smooth pebble-like stones of mineral barite found in Bologna, Italy were
known as "Bologna stones". The fact that after exposed to light, they would glow for years,
attracted witches and alchemists to them.[7]

Carl Scheele identified barite as containing a new element in 1774, but could not isolate barium.
Oxidized barium was at first called barote, by Guyton de Morveau, a name which was changed
by Antoine Lavoisier to baryta. Barium was first isolated by electrolysis of molten barium salts
in 1808, by Sir Humphry Davy in England.[8] Davy, by analogy with calcium named "barium"
after baryta, with the "-ium" ending signifying a metallic element.[7]

The production of pure oxygen in the Brin process was a large scale application of barium
peroxide before electrolysis and fractionally distill liquefied air became the dominant ways to
produce oxygen. In this process the barium oxide reacts at 500–600°C with air to form barium
peroxide which decomposes at above 700°C by releasing oxygen.[9][10]

2 BaO + O2 ⇌ 2 BaO2
Applications

Amoebiasis as seen in radiograph of barium-filled colon

Green barium fireworks

The dominating application of elemental barium is as a scavenger or “getter” removing the last
traces of oxygen and other gases in electronic vacuum tubes such as television cathode ray tubes.
[1]

An alloy of barium with nickel is used in spark plug wire.

Applications of barium compounds

Barium sulfate (the mineral barite, BaSO4) is important to the petroleum industry, e.g. as drilling
mud, a weighting agent in drilling new oil wells.[5] It is also a filler in a variety of products such
as rubber. Taking advantage of its opacity to X-rays, the sulfate is used as a radiocontrast agent
for X-ray imaging of the digestive system ("barium meals" and "barium enemas").[5] Lithopone, a
pigment that contains barium sulfate and zinc sulfide, is a permanent white that has good
covering power, and does not darken when exposed to sulfides.[11]

Applications of other barium compounds

Aside from the sulfate, other compounds of barium find only niche applications. Applications are
limited by the toxicity of Ba2+ ions (Barium carbonate is a rat poison), which is not a problem for
the insoluble BaSO4.

 Barium oxide is used in a coating for the electrodes of fluorescent lamps, which
facilitates the release of electrons.
 Barium carbonate is also used in glassmaking. Being a heavy element, barium increases
the refractive index and luster of the glass.[5]
 Barium, commonly as barium nitrate, is used to give green colors in fireworks.[12] The
species responsible for the brilliant green is barium monochloride; in the absence of a
source of chlorine a yellow or "apple" green is produced instead.
 Barium peroxide can be used as a catalyst to start an aluminothermic reaction when
welding rail tracks together. It can also be used in green tracer ammunition and as a
bleaching agent.[13]
 Barium titanate is a promising electroceramic.
 Barium fluoride is used for optics in infrared applications, since it is transparent from
about 0.15 to 12 micrometres.[14]

Precautions
Soluble barium compounds are poisonous. At low doses, barium acts as a muscle stimulant,
whereas higher doses affect the nervous system, causing cardiac irregularities, tremors,
weakness, anxiety, dyspnea and paralysis. This may be due to its ability to block potassium ion
channels which are critical to the proper function of the nervous system.[15] However, individual
responses to barium salts vary widely, with some being able to handle barium nitrate casually
without problems, and others becoming ill from working with it in small quantities. Barium
acetate was used by Marie Robards to poison her father in Texas in 1993. She was tried and
convicted in 1996.[16]

Non-toxicity of barium sulfate

Because it is highly insoluble in water as well as stomach acids, barium sulfate can be taken
orally. It is eliminated completely from the digestive tract. Unlike other heavy metals, barium
does not bioaccumulate.[17][18] However, inhaled dust containing barium compounds can
accumulate in the lungs, causing a benign condition called baritosis.[19]

References
1. ^ a b c d Robert Kresse, Ulrich Baudis, Paul Jäger, H. Hermann Riechers, Heinz Wagner,
Jochen Winkler, Hans Uwe Wolf, "Barium and Barium Compounds" in Ullmann's
Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 2007 Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
doi:10.1002/14356007.a03_325.pub2
2. ^ David R. Lide, Norman E. Holden (2005). "Section 11, Table of the Isotopes". CRC
Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 85th Edition. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.
 3. ^ Industrial minerals. 1969. p. 28. http://books.google.com/?
id=JjEmAQAAIAAJ&dq=Settlingstones+Witherite+Mine&q=Settlingstones+#search_an
chor.
4. ^ "Alston Moor Cumbria, UK". Steetley Minerals. http://www.rock-
site.co.uk/EZ/rs/rs/page151.php.
5. ^ a b c d C. R. Hammond (2000). The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
81st edition. CRC press. ISBN 0849304814.
6. ^ "Toxicological Profile for Barium and Barium Compounds. Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry". CDC. 2007..
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp24.pdf.
7. ^ a b Robert E. Krebs (2006). The history and use of our earth's chemical elements: a
reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 80. ISBN 0313334382.
http://books.google.com/?id=yb9xTj72vNAC.
8. ^ Davy, H. (1808) "Electro-chemical researches on the decomposition of the earths; with
observations on the metals obtained from the alkaline earths, and on the amalgam
procured from ammonia," Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London,
vol. 98, pages 333-370.
9. ^ Jensen, William B. (2009). "The Origin of the Brin Process for the Manufacture of
Oxygen". Journal of Chemical Education 86: 1266. doi:10.1021/ed086p1266.
10. ^ Ihde, Aaron John (1984-04-01). The development of modern chemistry. p. 681.
ISBN 9780486642352. http://books.google.de/books?id=34KwmkU4LG0C&pg=PA681.
11. ^ Chris J. Jones, John Thornback (2007). Medicinal applications of coordination
chemistry. Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 102. ISBN 0854045961.
http://books.google.com/?id=uEJHsZWyO-EC.
12. ^ Michael S. Russell, Kurt Svrcula (2008). Chemistry of Fireworks. Royal Society of
Chemistry. p. 110. ISBN 0854041273. http://books.google.com/?id=yxRyOf8jFeQC.
13. ^ Brent, G. F.; Harding, M. D. (1995). "Surfactant coatings for the stabilization of barium
peroxide and lead dioxide in pyrotechnic compositions". Propellants Explosives
Pyrotechnics 20: 300. doi:10.1002/prep.19950200604.
14. ^ "Crystran Ltd. Optical Component Materials". http://www.crystran.co.uk/barium-
fluoride-baf2.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
15. ^ Patnaik, Pradyot (2003). Handbook of Inorganic Chemical Compounds. McGraw-Hill.
pp. 77–78. ISBN 0070494398. http://books.google.com/?id=Xqj-
TTzkvTEC&pg=PA243. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
16. ^ "Boyfriend fight preceded Roanoke mom's slaying".
http://www.buffalo.edu/news/pdf/October08/DallanMorningNewsEwingSlaying.pdf.
Retrieved 2009-06-06.
17. ^ "Toxicity Profiles, Ecological Risk Assessment". US EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/region5/superfund/ecology/html/toxprofiles.htm#ba. Retrieved 2009-
06-06.
18. ^ Moore, J. W. (1991). Inorganic Contaminants of Surface Waters, Research and
Monitoring Priorities. New York: Springer-Verlag.
19. ^ Doig AT (February 1976). "Baritosis: a benign pneumoconiosis". Thorax 31 (1): 30–9.
doi:10.1136/thx.31.1.30. PMID 1257935.

External links
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Barium

Look up barium in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

 WebElements.com – Barium
 Elementymology & Elements Multidict
 3-D Holographic Display Using Strontium Barium Niobate
  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm,
Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (Eleventh ed.). Cambridge University Press.

v • d • e
  Barium compounds
v • d • e
 Periodic table
H   He
B
Li   B C N O F Ne
e
M
Na   Al Si P S Cl Ar
g
C S MF C NC Z
K   Ti V Cr Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
a c n e o i u n
Z N M R R P A C
Rb Sr   Y Tc In Sn Sb Te I Xe
r b o u h d g d
B L C P N P S G T D H T Y L HT O A H
Cs Eu Er W Re Ir Pt Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
a a e r d m m d b y o m b u f a s u g
R A T P N A C B F M N L RD B H MD R C U Uu Uu Uu Uu Uu
Fr U Pu Cf Es Sg
a c h a p m m k m d o r f b h s t s g n ut q p h s o
Alkaline
Alkali Lanthanide Transition Other Other Noble
earth Actinides Metalloids Halogens
metals s metals metals nonmetals gases
metals
Large version 
Categories: Chemical elements | Alkaline earth metals | Toxicology | Barium | Reducing agents

Barium is a silvery-white metal that occurs in nature in many different forms called compounds. These compounds are
solids and they do not burn well. Two forms of barium, barium sulfate and barium carbonate, are often found in nature as
underground ore deposits. Barium is sometimes found naturally in drinking water and food. Because certain forms of
barium (barium sulfate and barium carbonate) do not mix well with water, the amount of barium usually found in drinking
water is of a small quantity. Other barium compounds, such as barium chloride, barium nitrate, and barium hydroxide, are
manufactured from barium sulfate. Barium compounds such as barium acetate, barium carbonate, barium chloride, barium
hydroxide, barium nitrate, and barium sulfide dissolve more easily in water than barium sulfate.

Barium and barium compounds are used for many important purposes. Barium sulfate ore is mined and used in several
industries. It is used mostly by the oil and gas industries to make drilling muds. Drilling muds make it easier to drill
through rock by keeping the drill bit lubricated. Barium sulfate is also used to make paints, bricks, tiles, glass, rubber, and
other barium compounds. Some barium compounds, such as barium carbonate, barium chloride, and barium hydroxide,
are used to make ceramics, insect and rat poisons, additives for oils and fuels, and many other useful products. Barium
sulfate is sometimes used by doctors to perform medical tests and take x-ray photographs of the stomach and intestines.

Fate & Transport

The length of time that barium will last in the environment following release to air, land, and water depends on the form of
barium released. Barium compounds that do not dissolve well in water, such as barium sulfate and barium carbonate, can
last a long time in the environment. Barium compounds that dissolve easily in water usually do not last a long time in the
environment. Barium that is dissolved in water quickly combines with sulfate or carbonate ions and becomes the longer
lasting forms (barium sulfate and barium carbonate). Barium sulfate and barium carbonate are the forms of barium most
commonly found in the soil and water. If barium sulfate and barium carbonate are released onto land, they will combine
with particles of soil.

Exposure Pathways

Background levels of barium in the environment are very low. The air that most people breathe contains about 0.0015
parts of barium per billion parts of air (ppb). The air around factories that release barium into the air has only about 0.33
ppb or less of barium. Most surface water and public water supplies contain only about 0.38 parts of barium per million
parts of water (ppm) or less. In some areas that have underground water wells, drinking water may contain more than the
1 ppm limit set by EPA. The highest amount measured from these water wells has been 10 ppm. The highest amount of
barium found in soil is about 100 to 3,000 ppm. Some foods, such as Brazil nuts, seaweed, fish, and certain plants, may
contain high amounts of barium. The amount of barium found in food and water usually is not high enough to be a health
concern. However, information is still being collected to find out if long-term exposure to low levels of barium causes any
health problems.

Barium waste may be released to air, land, and water during industrial operations. Barium is released into the air during
the mining and processing of ore and during manufacturing operations. Some industries dump wastes containing barium
compounds onto land or into the ocean and other bodies of water. Barium compounds are found in more than 150
hazardous waste sites in the United States. We do not know the exact number of hazardous waste sites containing barium
because not all waste sites have been examined for barium.

People with the greatest known risk of exposure to high levels of barium are those working in industries that make or use
barium compounds. Most these exposed persons breathe air that contains barium sulfate or barium carbonate. Sometimes
they are exposed to one of the more harmful forms of barium (for example, barium chloride or barium hydroxide) by
breathing the dust from these compounds or by getting them on their skin. Many hazardous waste sites contain barium
compounds, and these sites may be a source of exposure for people living and working near them. Exposure near
hazardous waste sites may occur by breathing dust, eating soil or plants, or drinking water that is polluted with barium.
People near these sites may also get soil or water that contains barium on their skin.

Metabolism

Barium enters your body when you breathe air, eat food, or drink water containing barium. It may also enter your body to
a small extent when you have direct skin contact with barium compounds. Barium that you breathe seems to enter the
bloodstream very easily. Barium does not seem to enter the bloodstream as well from the stomach or intestines. How
much barium actually gets into your bloodstream depends on how much barium you breathe, eat, or drink and how easily
the form of barium you breathe dissolves in the fluids in your body. Some barium compounds (for example, barium
chloride) can enter your body through your skin, but this is very rare and usually occurs in industrial accidents at factories
where they make or use barium compounds. Barium at hazardous waste sites may enter your body if you breathe dust,
eat soil or plants, or drink water polluted with barium. Barium can also enter your body if polluted soil or water touches
your skin.

Barium that enters your body by breathing, eating, or drinking is removed mainly in feces and urine. Most of the barium
that enters your body is removed within a few days, and almost all of it is gone within 1-2 weeks. Most barium that stays
in your body goes into the bones and teeth. We do not know the long-term health effects of the barium that stays in your
body.

Health Effects

The health effects of the different barium compounds depend on how well the specific barium compound dissolves in water.
For example, barium sulfate does not dissolve well in water and has few adverse health effects. Doctors sometimes give
barium sulfate orally or by placing it directly in the rectum of patients for purposes of making x-rays of the stomach or
intestines. The use of this particular barium compound in this type of medical test is not harmful to people. Barium
compounds such as barium acetate, barium carbonate, barium chloride, barium hydroxide, barium nitrate, and barium
sulfide that dissolve in water can cause adverse health effects. Most of what we know comes from studies in which a small
number of individuals were exposed to fairly large amounts of barium for short periods. Eating or drinking very large
amounts of barium compounds that dissolve in water may cause paralysis or death in a few individuals. Some people who
eat or drink somewhat smaller amounts of barium for a short period may potentially have difficulties in breathing,
increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythm, stomach irritation, minor changes in blood, muscle weakness, changes
in nerve reflexes, swelling of the brain, and damage to the liver, kidney, heart, and spleen. One study showed that people
who drank water containing as much as 10 ppm of barium for 4 weeks did not have increased blood pressure or abnormal
heart rhythms. We have no reliable information about the possible health effects in humans who are exposed to barium by
breathing or by direct skin contact. However, many of the health effects might be similar to those seen after eating or
drinking barium. We have no information about the ability of barium to cause birth defects or affect reproduction in
humans. Barium has not been shown to cause cancer in humans.

The health effects of barium have been studied more often in experimental animals than in humans. Rats that ate or drank
barium over short periods had build-up of fluid in the trachea (windpipe), swelling and irritation of the intestines, changes
in organ weights, decreased body weight, and increased numbers of deaths. Rats that ate or drank barium over long
periods had increased blood pressure and changes in the function and chemistry of the heart. Mice that ate or drank
barium over a long period had a shorter life span. We have no reliable information about the health effects in experimental
animals that are exposed to barium by breathing or by direct skin contact. We also have no reliable information to tell
whether barium causes cancer or birth defects in experimental animals.

The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and EPA have not
classified barium as to its carcinogenicity.

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