dusts.org
← All dusts

Dust entry

Barium sulfate dust

Airborne barium sulfate powder or dust encountered during occupational handling and processing.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

eye irritationnose irritationupper respiratory tract irritationbenign pneumoconiosisbaritosis

Evidence

The current NIOSH Pocket Guide identifies barium sulfate as a white or yellowish powder, gives separate total and respirable exposure limits, and reports eye, nose, and upper-respiratory irritation with benign pneumoconiosis (baritosis).

Source: html ↗ · saved source
Exposure Limits; Physical Description; Exposure Routes; Symptoms · 1
NIOSH REL TWA 10 mg/m3 (total) TWA 5 mg/m3 (resp). Physical Description White or yellowish, odorless powder. Symptoms irritation eyes, nose, upper respiratory system; benign pneumoconiosis (baritosis).

The NIOSH Pocket Guide identifies barium sulfate as a white or yellowish odorless powder and reports eye, nose, and upper-respiratory irritation together with benign pneumoconiosis (baritosis).

Source: html ↗ · saved source
Symptoms · 1
Symptoms: irritation eyes, nose, upper respiratory system; benign pneumoconiosis (baritosis).

The NIOSH Pocket Guide lists inhalation and skin or eye contact as exposure routes for barium sulfate and identifies the eyes and respiratory system as target organs.

Source: html ↗ · saved source
Exposure Routes / Symptoms / Target Organs · 1
Exposure Routes inhalation, skin and/or eye contact. Symptoms irritation eyes, nose, upper respiratory system; benign pneumoconiosis (baritosis). Target Organs Eyes, respiratory system.

NIOSH’s occupational-disease reference states that inhalation of barium sulfate dust can deposit sufficient dust in the lungs to produce baritosis, a benign pneumoconiosis that may show radiologic changes without symptoms or abnormal physical signs.

Source: pdf ↗ · saved source
page 329 · Barium · 1
The inhalation of the dust of barium sulfate may lead to deposition in the lungs in sufficient quantities to produce 'baritosis'—a benign pneumoconiosis. This produces a radiologic picture in the absence of symptoms and abnormal physical signs.

Controls