Biological Dangers and Precautions
Because of the high reactivity of the metal toxicological data are available only for compounds. Water-soluble barium compounds are poisonous. At low doses, barium ions act 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 the ability of Ba2+ to block potassium ion channels, which are critical to the proper function of the nervous system. Other target organs for water-soluble barium compounds (i.e., barium ions) are eyes, immune system, heart, respiratory system, and skin. They affect the body strongly, causing, for example, blindness and sensitization.
Barium is not carcinogenic, and it does not bioaccumulate. However, inhaled dust containing insoluble barium compounds can accumulate in the lungs, causing a benign condition called baritosis. For comparison to the soluble poisons, the insoluble sulfate is nontoxic and is thus not classified as a dangerous good.
To avoid a potentially vigorous chemical reaction, barium metal is kept under argon or mineral oils. Contact with air is dangerous, as it may cause ignition. Moisture, friction, heat, sparks, flames, shocks, static electricity, reactions with oxidizers and acids should be avoided. Everything that may make contact with barium should be grounded. Those who work with the metal should wear pre-cleaned non-sparking shoes, flame-resistant rubber clothes, rubber gloves, apron, goggles, and a gas mask; they are not allowed to smoke in the working area and must wash themselves after handling barium.
Read more about this topic: Barium
Famous quotes containing the words biological, dangers and/or precautions:
“Much of the ill-tempered railing against women that has characterized the popular writing of the last two years is a half-hearted attempt to find a way back to a more balanced relationship between our biological selves and the world we have built. So women are scolded both for being mothers and for not being mothers, for wanting to eat their cake and have it too, and for not wanting to eat their cake and have it too.”
—Margaret Mead (1901–1978)
“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind.... Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to.”
—Joseph Heller (b. 1923)
“It is so manifestly incompatible with those precautions for our peace and safety, which all the great powers habitually observe and enforce in matters affecting them, that a shorter water way between our eastern and western seaboards should be dominated by any European government, that we may confidently expect that such a purpose will not be entertained by any friendly power.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)