How to Test for Barium Poisoning

For people who work in industrial plants or live near them, the likelihood of experiencing barium poisoning is high. That is because barium, a silvery white metal that is found naturally in the earth, is used for various industrial purposes and can be inhaled or ingested by accident.

However, even if you do not work in or live near industrial sites, it is still possible for you to succumb to barium poisoning. That is why it is important for you to determine if your house is free from any factors that can cause barium poisoning to yourself or to anyone living with you. You can do that by becoming aware of how barium poisoning occurs and how you can test for it.

How Barium Poisoning Occurs

Barium poisoning can occur in many ways. If you live near an industrial site – chemical plants, factories where rubber products are produced, oil drills or mining operations – it is possible for you to breathe barium in the air. The barium can then accumulate in your lungs and affect your respiratory system as well as your nervous system.

You can also consume barium with water. It is no secret that industrial sites leak their waste products into bodies of water nearby. Unfortunately, barium does not dissolve in water, as it is a heavy metal. If water containing barium compounds ends up in your faucet, it is likely for you to find it in your drinking glass or in your pot of soup.

You can also consume barium with your food. Fish and seafood that have been caught in bodies of water near industrial sites are likely to have accumulated barium in their flesh. Another way to ingest barium is by swallowing a pellet of rat poison by accident.

Testing for Barium

There are a number of ways that you can prevent barium poisoning from occurring in your household. One is by keeping your rat poison and other household chemicals containing barium in a safe place that is totally inaccessible to children.

You should also test the water for barium in your house as well as your water. You can have a professional inspector test the air in your house. You can also send samples of your water to a laboratory.

Another thing that you can do is to buy urine or blood testing kits that you can safely use at home. There are specialized urine and blood testing panels that can help determine if you or any member of your household has alarming levels of barium in his or her body, thus becoming a prime candidate for barium poisoning.

Symptoms of barium poisoning include muscle weakness, stomach irritation accompanied by diarrhea, abnormally high blood pressure, heart palpitations, anxiety and difficulty in breathing. If you suspect yourself or anyone in your household to be afflicted by barium poisoning, you should rush the victim to the emergency room of the nearest hospital and have him or her observed and treated for the condition.