JOURNAL ARTICLE

A Fatal Case Report of Barium Chloride Toxicity.

  • Published In: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 2023, v. 47, n. 2. P. e33 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Copeland, Caroline S; Rock, Kirsten L; Pinhal, Andreia; Chapman, Robert C; Chilcott, Robert P 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on a case report and literature review of fatal barium chloride poisoning, highlighting the first intentional self-poisoning death by this compound reported in the UK. Barium toxicity depends on the solubility of its salts, with soluble forms like barium chloride being bioavailable and toxic, while barium sulfate is safe for clinical use. The case involved a 25-year-old male with a history of depression who ingested barium chloride and was found deceased; toxicological analysis using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) quantified elevated barium levels in his blood and vitreous humor. The report emphasizes that whole blood barium concentrations are more indicative of toxicity than plasma or serum levels, and vitreous humor measurements have limited diagnostic value. This case contributes valuable data on sample handling and barium quantification to aid future forensic and clinical assessments of barium poisoning.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Analytical Toxicology. 2023/03, Vol. 47, Issue 2, pe33
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Chemistry
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0146-4760
  • DOI:10.1093/jat/bkac102
  • Accession Number:162589577
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Analytical Toxicology is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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