B-+Why+is+barium+sulfate+safe+to+use+for+X-rays+of+the+digestive+system+even+though+barium+ions+are+poisonous?

Why is barium sulfate safe to use for X-rays of the digestive system even though barium ions are poisonous?

Derek yan

Most barium sulfate is generated by combining solution of barium ions and sulfate salts. Barium is a heavy metal, it's a water-soluble element and highly toxic. Barium sulfate is white crystalline solid, used as a radiocontrast agent for X-ray imaging and other diagnostic procedures, as known as the barium meal or barium swallow. Ba2+ (aq) + SO42-(s) → BaSO4 (s)



Figure 1.1 3-D model of barium sulfate

When we are taking the X-ray test, the rays will pass through our body and our bones will absorb it then reflect it to expose the X-ray's picture, but our digestive system is whole of soft-tissue structures, the radiographs could not show the organs clearly enough.

Therefore some barium sulfate liquid is required in the X-ray test. Barium ion is opaque to x rays and could absorb X-rays more strongly than other compounds. Add water into the barium sulfate powder to produce the liquid suspension of barium sulfate, the patients will be asked to drink the liquid before the test; barium molecules will go through the digestive system and cover all the lining of the system, that procedure is called barium meal. While the liquid flow through the digestive system, the radiographs will be taken by an X-ray machine, and the shapes of the coated organs can be clearly seen, to look for problems in the digestive system.

During the combination of barium sulfate, the barium ions are covered by insoluble sulfate, the solubility of the compound is1.08 x 10-10M which is almost insoluble. The low solubility of the suspension makes it safe for human; our body will not absorb the molecules and it's readily removed from the body.

In the past few year the diagnostic usage of barium has declined, because it's not 100% safe for human body; so the usage of esophagogastroduodenoscopy or endoscopes in the digestive system increased, which shows direct visual of the digestive system.

Side effects are nausea, diarrhea and headache.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AccessScience, ©McGraw-Hill Companies,(n.d). //barium.// Retrieved Jan 1st 2011. <[]>

Mydr. ( 25 November 2009 ). //Barium swallow and barium meal tests. Retrieved Jan 1st 2011. < __[] __> //

Vincent, S . eHow//.// (n.d). //Physical Properties of Barium Sulfate//. Retrieved Jan 2nd 2011. <__[]__>