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A review of the health impacts of barium from natural and anthropogenic exposure

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Abstract

There is an increasing public awareness of the relatively new and expanded industrial barium uses which are potential sources of human exposure (e.g., a shale gas development that causes an increased awareness of environmental exposures to barium). However, absorption of barium in exposed humans and a full spectrum of its health effects, especially among chronically exposed to moderate and low doses of barium populations, remain unclear. We suggest a systematic literature review (from 1875 to 2014) on environmental distribution of barium, its bioaccumulation, and potential and proven health impacts (in animal models and humans) to provide the information that can be used for optimization of future experimental and epidemiological studies and developing of mitigative and preventive strategies to minimize negative health effects in exposed populations. The potential health effects of barium exposure are largely based on animal studies, while epidemiological data for humans, specifically for chronic low-level exposures, are sparse. The reported health effects include cardiovascular and kidney diseases, metabolic, neurological, and mental disorders. Age, race, dietary patterns, behavioral risks (e.g., smoking), use of medications (those that interfere with absorbed barium in human organism), and specific physiological status (e.g., pregnancy) can modify barium effects on human health. Identifying, evaluating, and predicting the health effects of chronic low-level and moderate-level barium exposures in humans is challenging: Future research is needed to develop an understanding of barium bioaccumulation in order to mitigate its potential health impacts in various exposured populations. Further, while occupationally exposed at-risk populations exist, it is also important to identify potentially vulnerable subgroups among non-occupationally exposed populations (e.g., elderly, pregnant women, children) who are at higher risk of barium exposure from drinking water and food.

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Abbreviations

EPA:

Environmental Protection Agency

GI:

Gastrointestinal

MCL:

Maximum contaminant level

MRL:

Minimal risk level

WHO:

World Health Organization

i/v:

Intravenous(ly)

NOAEL:

No observed adverse effect level

LOAEL:

Lowest observed adversed effect level

RfD:

Reference dose

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge financial support from Fred and Alice Stanback to the Duke Cancer Center and to the Nicholas School of the Environment (NSOE), from the NSF EAGER (EAR-1249255), and from the NSOE. We thank William Chameides, the Dean of the NSOE, for supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgical Science, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Julia Kravchenko & H. Kim Lyerly

  2. School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Thomas H. Darrah

  3. Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, of Environmental Medicine, and of Pathology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA

    Richard K. Miller

  4. Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Avner Vengosh

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Correspondence to Julia Kravchenko.

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Kravchenko, J., Darrah, T.H., Miller, R.K. et al. A review of the health impacts of barium from natural and anthropogenic exposure. Environ Geochem Health 36, 797–814 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9622-7

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