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National Drinking Water Database

National Drinking Water Database - Chemical Contaminants

Barium (total)

Status: Regulated - EPA has established a maximum legal limit in tapwater for this contaminant.

Barium is a mineral that enters drinking water through drilling and mining waste runoff, discharges from chemical industries and erosion of natural deposits. [read more]

Barium

Barium is an element that occurs naturally in ore and makes up 0.05 percent of the earth's crust (WHO 2004a). Industrially, barium is used in oil and gas drilling, and by the glass, rubber, photographic and chemical industries. Barium is also used in automotive paints, plastic stabilizers and case hardening steels, in addition to being used to refine sugar and vegetable oil. The manufacture of bricks and tiles, lubricating oils and jet fuel, paints and dyes, and various pesticides also utilizes barium (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) 1992b, 2007a).

Short-term exposure to barium-contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal disturbances and muscular weakness, and long-term exposure can cause high blood pressure (ATSDR 2007a; USEPA 2002c). According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, barium has been shown to primarily affect the cardiovascular system, but evidence also indicates that exposure to barium will also affect the respiratory, gastrointestinal, hematological and musculoskeletal systems. Barium can also cause kidney, liver, and neurological damage and developmental and reproductive effects. Workers exposed to barium compounds exhibited scarring of the lungs (from inhalation of dust), respiratory weakness, paralysis and accumulation of fluid in the trachea. After short-term, high dose oral ingestion, people can develop increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythms, heart, liver and kidney damage, numbness and tingling in mouth and neck, paralysis, brain congestion and excessive fluid in the brain (ATSDR) 1992b, 2007a).

Laboratory animals exposed to barium compounds develop lung inflammation, hypertension and heart rhythm changes such as rapid heart rate. Inhalation of barium carbonate dust causes reproductive effects in rats, such as abnormal sperm formation, shortened fertility cycles in females, and damage to the ovary and testes (ATSDR 1992b).

Barium and barium compounds have been found in at least 798 of the 1,684 National Priority List sites identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (ATSDR 2007a). Barium water contamination is mostly due to the disposal of drilling wastes, from the smelting of copper, and from the manufacture of motor vehicle parts and accessories (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) 2002c). In 2004, the U.S. EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reported that industrial facilities released 8,939,172 pounds of barium into U.S. air, water, and land during 2002 (USEPA 2004a).

	Detected	Found above health guidelines	Found above legal limit
States	44	30	7
Water utilities	21,744	258	36
People Served	157,757,147	876,735	150,007

Health Concerns for Barium (total):

Occupational hazards
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
Biochemical or cellular level changes
Persistence and bioaccumulation
Ecotoxicology
Cancer

Barium (total) Exposure by State

Water utilities in 44 states have reported detecting Barium (total) in treated tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies.

State	Water Suppliers with Barium (total) contamination		Water suppliers reporting Barium (total) above health-based limits
State	Systems	Population	Systems	Population
Illinois	1,207	9,313,812	50	338,611
Virginia	18	1,965,633	2	155,224
Florida	1,441	16,770,040	7	105,825
Missouri	1,190	2,721,078	15	67,725
Arizona	527	4,485,243	3	43,439
California	1,133	37,654,128	7	26,318
New York	1,557	5,918,782	51	24,930
Wisconsin	1,385	3,646,870	12	21,765
Massachusetts	202	5,318,686	1	16,000
Ohio	821	6,621,059	17	13,871
Indiana	636	4,187,110	13	12,894
Pennsylvania	809	4,482,998	26	11,483
Nebraska	519	1,354,837	2	10,192
Iowa	467	842,353	10	8,035
Texas	3,320	11,635,290	7	5,250
Oklahoma	552	2,793,037	6	4,721
Kentucky	191	3,424,978	2	2,402
Minnesota	434	1,627,409	2	2,055
Alabama	101	1,531,711	1	1,350
Maryland	283	4,721,291	3	1,023
New Jersey	395	6,547,783	5	888
Connecticut	397	2,422,886	5	794
Maine	337	642,616	1	440
Wyoming	67	171,463	2	430
Delaware	138	827,989	2	354
North Carolina	49	520,381	2	335
Arkansas	423	2,125,548	1	275
Michigan	203	715,987	1	46
Idaho	239	728,890	1	35
Montana	268	291,950	1	25
Nevada	95	2,302,850	0	0
Utah	242	2,184,499	0	0
Washington	230	1,433,136	0	0
Oregon	181	1,267,209	0	0
New Hampshire	796	804,209	0	0
Hawaii	9	780,634	0	0
Rhode Island	43	775,825	0	0
New Mexico	305	765,640	0	0
South Dakota	132	501,581	0	0
Alaska	162	344,153	0	0
West Virginia	4	195,568	0	0
North Dakota	101	186,793	0	0
Vermont	134	173,712	0	0
Colorado	1	29,500	0	0
Total	21,744	157,757,147	258	876,735

The Most Polluted Communities

21,744 water utilities reported detecting Barium (total) in tap water since 2004, according to EWG's analysis of water quality data supplied by state water agencies

Ranked by highest average Barium (total) level

Rank	System	Population Served	Positive test results of total reported tests	Average Level (Range)
1	Indiana Muni Svc Auth-Jksnvlle Indiana, PA	1,835	2 of 2	3360 ppb (3120 to 3600 ppb)
2	Valley View Mobile Court East Aurora, NY	42	2 of 2	2860 ppb (2720 to 3000 ppb)
3	Marshall Water Works Marshall, IN	378	12 of 12	2522.41 ppb (1363.14 to 3247.5 ppb)
4	American Tempo Village Park Muncy, PA	80	19 of 19	2331.05 ppb (40 to 3940 ppb)
5	Volo Volo, IL	25	1 of 1	2300 ppb (2300 ppb)
6	Seaton Seaton, IL	225	21 of 21	2200.28 ppb (1498.8 to 2660 ppb)
7	Laceyville Water Co Laceyville, PA	476	1 of 1	2120 ppb (2120 ppb)
8	Country Meadows Comm. Mhp Frankfort, NY	36	5 of 5	2016 ppb (730 to 2950 ppb)
9	Santa FE Hills Subdivision Alachua, FL	200	1 of 1	2000 ppb (2000 ppb)
10	Spanish Lakes Country Club Village Fort Pierce, FL	2,331	1 of 1	2000 ppb (2000 ppb)

Health Based Limits for Barium (total)

Standard	Description	Level
Children's health-based limit for 1-day exposure	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects for up to one day of exposure. The One-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	700 ppb
Children's health-based limit for 10-day exposure	Concentration of a chemical in drinking water that is not expected to cause any adverse, noncarcinogenic effects for up to ten days of exposure. The Ten-Day health-based limit (or Health Advisory, HA) is typically set to protect a 10-kg child consuming 1 liter of water per day. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	700 ppb
EPA Human Health Water Quality Criteria	Water quality criteria set by the US EPA provide guidance for states and tribes authorized to establish water quality standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to protect human health. These are non-enforceable standards based upon exposure by both drinking water and the contribution of water contamination to other consumed foods. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	1000 ppb
Maximum Contaminant Limit (MCL)	The enforceable standard which defines the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to health-based limits (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals, or MCLGs) as feasible using the best available analytical and treatment technologies and taking cost into consideration. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	2000 ppb
Maximum Contaminant Limit Goal (MCLG)	A non-enforceable health goal that is set at a level at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons occurs and which allows an adequate margin of safety. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	2000 ppb
California Public Health Goals	Defined by the State of California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as the level of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. For acutely toxic substances, levels are set at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of safety. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health.	2000 ppb
Drinking Water Equivalent Level	A lifetime exposure concentration protective of adverse, noncarcinogenic health effects, that assumes all of the exposure to a contaminant is from drinking water. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.	7000 ppb

Testing Summary for Barium (total)

Are tests routinely required for Barium (total) by federal law?	Yes
Water suppliers reporting tests for Barium (total) (2004-2009):	30,088 of 47,576
Average testing rate for water supplier reporting tests (2004-2009):	0.3 per year

Violation Summary for Barium (total)

Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes the following violations of federal standards for Barium (total) since 2004

Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedance Violations	36
Monitoring Violations	1,191
Reporting Violations	0

Occupational hazards

Type of concern:	Reference:
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2005
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2006
Allowed workplace exposures restricted to low doses	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2007
Single case study detailing occupational hazards	US EPA, 9204
Single case study detailing occupational hazards	Frazier , L, 1998

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Type of concern:	Reference:
Limited evidence of respiratory toxicity	Nemery, B, 1990
Limited evidence of sense organ toxicity	California Air Resources Board
One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient)	EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs
One or more animal studies show cardiovascular effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient)	RTECS^®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1989
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful	Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Biochemical or cellular level changes

Type of concern:	Reference:
One or more animal studies show biochemical changes at high doses where the human health implications are not yet well understood	RTECS^®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1989

Persistence and bioaccumulation

Type of concern:	Reference:
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative	Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Ecotoxicology

Type of concern:	Reference:
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin	Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Cancer

Type of concern:	Reference:
Cancer - not classifiable/not likely to be human carcinogen	EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications

government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics	BARIUM	• o
Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients	BARIUM	•Use is restricted in Canadian cosmetics
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List	BARIUM	•This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence.
EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)	BARIUM AND COMPOUNDS	•Group D: Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity (EPA classification)
EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)	BARIUM AND COMPOUNDS	•Carcinogenicity cannot be determined (EPA classification)
EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)	BARIUM AND COMPOUNDS	•Not likely to be carcinogenic in humans (EPA classification)
National Library of Medicine HazMap	BARIUM, SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS	•PEL (OSHA) - Permissible exposure limit (OSHA): 0.5 mg/m3, as Ba; •TLV (ACGIH) - Threshold limit value (ACGIH): 0.5 mg/m3, as Ba; •IDLH (NIOSH) - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health: 50 mg/m3; •MAK - Maximum Allowable Concentration (Federal Republic of Germany): 0.5 mg/m3, as Ba, inhalable fraction(soluble compds);
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	DISSOLVEDBARIUM	•Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	BARIUM COMPOUNDS -- TRI	•Toxic, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxics Release Inventory programs
US EPA, 9204	BARIUM	•Developmental toxicity hazards: suspected
Frazier , L, 1998	BARIUM	•Reproductive toxicity hazards: suspected
Nemery, B, 1990	BARIUM	•Respiratory toxicity hazards: suspected
California Air Resources Board	BARIUM COMPOUNDS	•Skin or sense organ toxicity hazards: suspected
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2005	BARIUM	• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2006	BARIUM	• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2007	BARIUM	• occupationally related - ACGIH TLV (human TWA)
RTECS^®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1989	BARIUM	• cardiovascular - BP elevation not characterized in autonomic section (rat TDLo) • biochemical - Xanthine, purine, or nucleotides, including urate (rat TDLo) • biochemical - Cytochrome oxidases (including oxidative phosphorylation) (rat TDLo)

references

government/industry list/academic study	reference
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics	AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
Canada - Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetics Ingredients	Health Canada. 2007. List of Prohibited and Restricted Cosmetic Ingredients. Canada's Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. March 2007.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List	EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines.
National Library of Medicine HazMap	NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs	EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	US EPA. Roadmaps to Sources of Information on Chemicals Listed in the Emergency Planning Community and Community Right-to-Know Act (Also Known as SARA Title 3), Section 313 Toxic Release Inventory (for Microcomputers). (Report Number EPADFDK92040). 1991. Data file distributed in 2 diskettes by Office of Pollution, Prevention, and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. NOTE: Datasource no longer being maintained by EPA; not currently available online.
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	Frazier , L. and M. L. Hage (eds.). Reproductive Hazards of the Workplace, Wiley Europe, 1998. Table 10 (Partial List of Reproductive Toxicants) available at http://www.pharmacy.ohio-state.edu/homepage/safety/chemhygiene_table_repro.pdf.
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	Nemery, B. Metal Toxicity and the Respiratory Tract. European Respiratory Journal. 3(2): 202-219. 1990.(Table 1: Summary of pulmonary toxicity of metals).
Scorecard.org Toxicity Information	California Air Resources Board. Toxic Air Contaminant Fact Sheets. http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/tac/tac.htm.
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2005	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2005
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2006	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2006
RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2007	RTECS^®- TLV/BEI,2007
RTECS^®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health 1989	RTECS^®- Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. (Hemisphere Pub., 1025 Vermont Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20005) V.1- 1975/76- 28,373,1989

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