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REPORT ON WATER AND SOIL SAMPLING -LINE CAMP PIT DRAFT PAGE 5 <br />found in lakes, rivers, and streams. 'Barium is found in most soils and foods at low levels. `Fish <br />and aquatic organisms accumulate barium. <br />How might I be exposed to barium? <br />' Breathing very low levels in air, drinking water, and eating food' Breathing higher levels in air <br />while working in industries that make or use barium compounds' Drinking water containing high <br />levels of barium from natural sources `Breathing air near barium mining or processing plants. <br />How can barium affect my health? <br />The health effects of the different barium compounds depend on how well the compound <br />dissolves in water. Barium compounds that do not dissolve well in water are not generally harmful <br />and are often used by doctors for medical purposes. <br />Those barium compounds that dissolve well in water may cause harmful health effects in people. <br />Ingesting high levels of barium compounds that dissolve well in water over the short term has <br />resulted in <br />* Difficulties in breathing 'Increased blood pressure' Changes in heart rhythm 'Stomach <br />irritation 'Brain swelling 'Muscle weakness * Damage to the liver, kidney, heart, and spleen. <br />We don't know the effects in people of ingesting low levels of barium over the long term. Animal <br />studies have found increased blood pressure and changes in the heart from ingesting barium <br />over a long time. We don't know the effects of barium from breathing it or from touching it. <br />How likely is barium to cause cancer? <br />The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on <br />Cancer, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have not classified barium as to its <br />human carcinogenicity. <br />Barium has not been classified because there are no studies in people and the two available <br />animal studies were inadequate to determine whether or not barium causes cancer. <br />Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to barium? <br />There is no routine medical test to show whether you have been exposed to barium. However, <br />doctors can measure barium in the blood, bones, urine, and feces, using very complex <br />instruments. Due to the complexity of the tests, these tests are usually done only for cases of <br />severe barium poisoning and for medical research. <br />Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health? <br />EPA allows 2 parts of barium per million parts of drinking water (2 ppm). EPA requires that <br />discharges or spills into the environment of 10 pounds or more of barium cyanide be reported. <br />The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for <br />Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the American Conference of Governmental <br />Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have set an occupational exposure limit of 0.5 milligrams of soluble <br />barium compounds per cubic meter of air (0.5 mg/m3) for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek. <br />