What is it?
Barium is an alkaline rare-earth metal with an atomic number of 56. It has a number of salts. The sulfate salt is non-toxic and does not dissolve in water. Soluble salts are all toxic. This includes, but is not limited to the following: "Barium acetate, barium nitrate, barium carbonate, barium sulfide, and barium chloride". The carbonate and chloride are among the most toxic.[1]
How does it work?
Barium toxicity is a result of its ability to block potassium channels. This prevents your heart and muscles from responding to electrical stimuli. You'll likely die of cardiac arrest.[2]
What are the effects?
According to CDC, here are the effects: "Ingestion of certain forms of barium (e.g., barium carbonate or barium fluoride) in toxic amounts can lead to gastrointestinal signs and symptoms (e.g., vomiting, abdominal pain, and watery diarrhea)…profound hypokalemia and generalized muscle weakness can develop which may progress to paralysis of the limbs and respiratory muscles. Severe hypokalemia induced by barium toxicity can cause ventricular dysrhythmias."[3]
The onset is very rapid, according to one article: "Barium toxicity is mediated by the free cation and has an onset typically 10-60 minutes post-administration (depending on dose)…"[4]
In case of suicide, the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest (according to one article).[5]
How do I prepare?
It is strongly suggested to take an anti-emetic with barium salts. Barium salts are known irritants.[6]
What is the dose?
The reported lethal dose of barium salts differs from publication to publication, but it is between 500 and 2000 milligrams.[7] To be sure, I'd state that a dose of 25 grams should likely work. Remember, it must be a soluble salt.
What is a possible antidote?
If one wants to abort their bus-ride, then consumption of sulfates (e.g.,sodium sulfate) and potassium salts (e.g.,potassium chloride) will probably reverse the hypokalemia and help convert the soluble salt into the insoluble and non-toxic sulfate salt.[8] I am not a physician and I make no promises in this regard.
How detectable is it on an autopsy?
Barium poisoning can be difficult to detect. Much of its effects are similar to that of known cardiovascular illness. One woman poisoned her father with it and the death was initially reported as natural causes. People only knew the truth after she confessed.[9]
Availability
As of this writing, barium salts are widely available online from major online retailers and smaller specialty shops. Barium can also be found in shaving powder as its sulfide salt.[10]
Barium is an alkaline rare-earth metal with an atomic number of 56. It has a number of salts. The sulfate salt is non-toxic and does not dissolve in water. Soluble salts are all toxic. This includes, but is not limited to the following: "Barium acetate, barium nitrate, barium carbonate, barium sulfide, and barium chloride". The carbonate and chloride are among the most toxic.[1]
How does it work?
Barium toxicity is a result of its ability to block potassium channels. This prevents your heart and muscles from responding to electrical stimuli. You'll likely die of cardiac arrest.[2]
What are the effects?
According to CDC, here are the effects: "Ingestion of certain forms of barium (e.g., barium carbonate or barium fluoride) in toxic amounts can lead to gastrointestinal signs and symptoms (e.g., vomiting, abdominal pain, and watery diarrhea)…profound hypokalemia and generalized muscle weakness can develop which may progress to paralysis of the limbs and respiratory muscles. Severe hypokalemia induced by barium toxicity can cause ventricular dysrhythmias."[3]
The onset is very rapid, according to one article: "Barium toxicity is mediated by the free cation and has an onset typically 10-60 minutes post-administration (depending on dose)…"[4]
In case of suicide, the cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest (according to one article).[5]
How do I prepare?
It is strongly suggested to take an anti-emetic with barium salts. Barium salts are known irritants.[6]
What is the dose?
The reported lethal dose of barium salts differs from publication to publication, but it is between 500 and 2000 milligrams.[7] To be sure, I'd state that a dose of 25 grams should likely work. Remember, it must be a soluble salt.
What is a possible antidote?
If one wants to abort their bus-ride, then consumption of sulfates (e.g.,sodium sulfate) and potassium salts (e.g.,potassium chloride) will probably reverse the hypokalemia and help convert the soluble salt into the insoluble and non-toxic sulfate salt.[8] I am not a physician and I make no promises in this regard.
How detectable is it on an autopsy?
Barium poisoning can be difficult to detect. Much of its effects are similar to that of known cardiovascular illness. One woman poisoned her father with it and the death was initially reported as natural causes. People only knew the truth after she confessed.[9]
Availability
As of this writing, barium salts are widely available online from major online retailers and smaller specialty shops. Barium can also be found in shaving powder as its sulfide salt.[10]
Last edited:
. All are highly toxic if ingested. The availability of a compound should not be considered as directly correlated with its safety.
