Barium+Sulfate

ABarium Sulfate BaSO 4

Barium sulfate is frequently used clinically as a radio contrast agent for x-rays and other diagnostic procedures.

About 80% of the world's barium sulfate production, mostly purified mineral, is consumed as a component of oil well drilling fluid. It increases the density of the fluid

The majority of synthetic barium sulfate is used as a component of white pigment for paints. In oil paint, barium sulfate is almost transparent,and is used as a filler or to modify consistency. One major manufacturer of artists' oil paint sells "permanent white" that contains a mixture of titanium white pigment (TiO2) and barium sulfate


 * Barium sulfate ** is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula BaSO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water . It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and materials prepared from it. The white opaque appearance and its high density are exploited in its main applications.

Production
Almost all of the barium consumed commercially is obtained from the mineral barite, which is often highly impure. Barite is processed by carbothermal reduction (heating with coke ) to give barium sulphide : BaSO4 + 4 C → BaS + 4 CO In contrast to barium sulfate, barium sulfide is soluble in water and readily converted to the oxide, carbonate, and halides. To produce highly pure barium sulfate, the sulfide or chloride is treated with sulfuric acid or sulfate salts: BaS + H2SO4 → BaSO4 + H2S Barium sulfate produced in this way is often called //blanc fixe//, which is French for "permanent white." Blanc fixe is the form of barium encountered in consumer products, such as paints. In the laboratory barium sulfate is generated by combining solutions of barium ions and sulfate salts. Because barium sulfate is the least toxic salt of barium due to its insolubility, wastes containing barium salts are sometimes treated with sodium sulfate to immobilize (detoxify) the barium. Barium sulfate is one of the most insoluble salts of sulfate. Its low solubility is exploited in qualitative inorganic analysis as a test for Ba2+ ions as well as for sulfate.

Drilling fluids
About 80% of the world's barium sulfate production, mostly purified mineral, is consumed as a component of oil well drilling fluid. It increases the density of the fluid.

Pigment
The majority of synthetic barium sulfate is used as a component of white pigment for paints. In oil paint, barium sulfate is almost transparent,and is used as a filler or to modify consistency. One major manufacturer of artists' oil paint sells "permanent white" that contains a mixture of titanium white pigment (TiO2) and barium sulfate. The combination of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide (ZnS) is the inorganic pigment called lithopone. In photography it is used as a coating for certain photographic papers.

Radiocontrast agent
Barium sulfate is frequently used clinically as a radiocontrast agent for X-ray imaging and other diagnostic procedures. It is most often used in imaging of the GI tract during what is colloquially known as a ' barium meal '. It is administered, orally or by enema, as a suspension of fine particles in an aqueous solution (often with sweetening agents added). Although barium is a heavy metal, and its water-soluble compounds are often highly toxic, the low solubility of barium sulfate protects the patient from absorbing harmful amounts of the metal. Barium sulfate is also readily removed from the body, unlike Thorotrast, which it replaced. Due to the relatively high atomic number (//Z// = 56) of barium, its compounds absorb X-rays more strongly than compounds derived from lighter nuclei.

Niche uses
Barium sulfate is also used during the procedure of the soil pH test. In this test it is used so that it precipitates out any particles (usually clay particles) that would otherwise 'cloud' solution preventing one from seeing the colour of the pH indicator i.e. the result of the test. It is also used in Episal salt, brake linings, anacoustic foams, powder coatings, and root canal filling. In colorimetry barium sulfate is used as a near-perfect diffuser when measuring light sources. In metal casting, the moulds used are often coated with barium sulfate in order to prevent the molten metal from bonding with the mould.

Catalyst support
Barium sulfate is a low surface area material used as a support for selectively hydrogenating functional groups sensitive to overreduction. With a low surface area, the contact time of the substrate with the catalyst is shorter. A [|supported] palladium catalyst on barium sulfate, and doped (poisoned) with quinoline hydrogenates alkynes into //cis//- alkenes. The quinoline and the special support prevent overreduction to the alkane.

** Pyrotechnics **
As barium compounds emit a green light when burned, barium salts are often used in green pyrotechnic formulas, but the nitrate and chlorate salts are more common. Barium sulfate is commonly used as a component of "strobe" pyrotechnic compositions.

Copper Industry
As barium sulfate has high burning point and is insoluble in water, it is used as a coating material in casting of copper anode plates. The anode plates are cast in copper molds, so to avoid the contact of the liquid copper and the solid copper mold, a solution of barium sulfate in water is used as a coating material on the mold surface. Thus when the liquid copper solidifies in form of an anode plate it can be easily removed from its mold.

Safety aspects
Although soluble salts of barium are moderately toxic to humans, barium sulfate is nontoxic due to its insolubility. The most common means of inadvertent barium poisoning arises from the consumption of soluble barium salts mislabeled as BaSO4. In the Celobar Incident(Brazil, 2003), nine patients died from improperly prepared radiocontrast agent.

**__Before Using Barium Sulfate__**
Ask your doctor...
 * asthma, eczema, or allergies;
 * a blockage in your stomach or intestines;
 * cystic fibrosis;
 * a colostomy;
 * rectal cancer;
 * heart disease or high blood pressure;
 * Hirschsprung's disease (a disorder of the intestines);
 * a condition called pseudotumor cerebri (high pressure inside the skull that may cause headaches, vision loss, or other symptoms);
 * a recent history of surgery on your esophagus, stomach, or intestines;
 * a history of perforation (a hole or tear) in your esophagus, stomach, or intestines;
 * if you have recently had a rectal biopsy;
 * if you have ever choked on food by accidentally inhaling it into your lungs;
 * if you are allergic to simethicone (Gas-X, Phazyme, and others); or
 * if you are allergic to latex rubber.
 * If you are pregnant
 * Nursing