spore: profile id: barium-sulfate spore_version: 0.2 family: barium name: Barium sulfate abbreviation: BaSO4 role: X-ray and gamma shielding filler and radiocontrast agent category: shielding type: spot-shields summary: | Barium sulfate (BaSO4) is a dense, white, very poorly water-soluble barium salt. In nature it occurs as the mineral barite. The Wikipedia Chembox gives a density of 4.49 g/cm3, and the ILO International Chemical Safety Card 0827 gives 4.5 g/cm3. The material is used as a heavy filler in polymers and as aggregate in radiation-shielding concrete, where it blocks X-rays and gamma rays. best_for: 'Dense X-ray and gamma shielding fillers where density matters more than mechanical strength (USGS: used as aggregate in high-density radiation-shielding concrete)' weakest_at: No space, vacuum or long-term radiation-durability data were found in the sources read; hazard data are inconsistent between sources identity: formula: BaSO4 cas: 7727-43-7 crystal_system: orthorhombic source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: 'Chembox: formula BaSO4, crystal structure orthorhombic. CAS 7727-43-7 is printed in the Chembox and on ICSC 0827 (icsc-0827)' tags: stresses: - total-radiation-dose applications: - radiation-shielding properties: - benchmark: density label: Density (Chembox) value: 4.49 unit: g/cm3 scope: material conditions: form: barium sulfate, solid basis: Chembox value for the pure compound method: Value in the infobox of an encyclopedia article, which cites secondary references status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, Density field - benchmark: density label: Density (ICSC 0827) value: 4.5 unit: g/cm3 scope: material conditions: form: barium sulfate, as listed on the card method: Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card status: ground note: The card and the Chembox agree to the precision the card prints; both are recorded. source: icsc-0827 where: Physical and chemical information, Density - benchmark: density label: Specific gravity of barite (mineral data page) value: 4.48 unit: gm/cc scope: material conditions: material: barite, the mineral form of BaSO4 method: Value in a note on a mineral data page status: ground source: webmineral-barite where: Electron Density section, note 'Specific Gravity of Barite =4.48 gm/cc' - benchmark: density label: Density of barite as a heavy mineral (Ahmad et al. 2024) value: 4.48 unit: g/cm3 scope: material conditions: material: barite, a heavy mineral basis: value the paper gives for barite, citing refs 27 and 41 method: Value in the text of an open-access paper status: ground source: ahmad2024-sci where: 'Density of concrete section, first paragraph (text: ''a heavy mineral with a density of 4.48 g/cm 3'')' - benchmark: molar_mass label: Molar mass value: 233.39 unit: g/mol scope: material conditions: basis: molar mass of BaSO4 as printed in the Chembox method: Value printed in the infobox of an encyclopedia article status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, Molar mass field - benchmark: melting_point label: Melting point value: 1580 unit: °C scope: material conditions: form: barium sulfate, solid note: The same box gives a boiling point of 1600 °C with the note 'decomposes' method: Value in the Chembox of an encyclopedia article status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, MeltingPt field - benchmark: decomposition_temperature label: Decomposition temperature value: 1600 unit: °C scope: material conditions: basis: 'statement on the card: ''Decomposes at 1600°C''' note: The ICSC card lists no melting point method: Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card status: ground source: icsc-0827 where: Physical and chemical information, decomposition statement - benchmark: water_solubility label: Solubility in water at 20 °C value: 2.448 unit: mg/L scope: material conditions: temperature: 20 °C solvent: water method: Value in the Chembox; the same box gives 2.85 mg/L at 30 °C status: ground note: The ICSC card gives 'none' for solubility in water, which disagrees with the Chembox figure; both are recorded in corrosion. source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, Solubility field - benchmark: refractive_index label: Refractive index (alpha form) value: 1.636 unit: '-' scope: material conditions: form: alpha basis: Chembox RefractIndex field, marked alpha method: Value in the Chembox of an encyclopedia article status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, RefractIndex field - benchmark: heat_capacity_molar label: Molar heat capacity value: 101.7 unit: J/(mol K) scope: material conditions: basis: Chembox thermochemistry field; temperature not stated in the box method: Value in the Chembox thermochemistry section, which cites a textbook status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, Thermochemistry section, HeatCapacity field - benchmark: standard_molar_entropy label: Standard molar entropy value: 132 unit: J/(mol·K) scope: material conditions: basis: standard conditions as given in the Chembox thermochemistry section method: Value in the Chembox thermochemistry section, which cites a textbook status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, Thermochemistry section, Entropy field - benchmark: filler_loading label: Filler loading in polymers value: 70 bound: upper unit: '%' scope: material conditions: polymers: polypropylene and polystyrene basis: maximum proportion stated in the text method: Value stated in the text of an encyclopedia article status: ground source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Uses, plastics filler paragraph ('in proportions up to 70%') - benchmark: occupational_exposure_limit label: MAK (as barium, respirable fraction) value: 0.3 unit: mg/m3 scope: material conditions: basis: MAK value printed on the card, as Ba, respirable fraction category: peak limitation category II(8) method: Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card status: ground source: icsc-0827 where: Occupational exposure limits, MAK - benchmark: occupational_exposure_limit label: TLV (inhalable fraction) value: 4 unit: ppm scope: material conditions: basis: TLV as TWA, inhalable fraction, as printed on the card method: Value printed on the International Chemical Safety Card status: ground note: The card prints the unit ppm for a dust limit; it is copied as printed. source: icsc-0827 where: Occupational exposure limits, TLV corrosion: - environment: Concentrated, hot sulfuric acid headline: Barium sulfate dissolves only in concentrated, hot sulfuric acid among the solvents the Chembox lists. effect: The Chembox lists barium sulfate as soluble in concentrated, hot sulfuric acid and as insoluble in ethanol. It gives a water solubility of 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C, so it does not dissolve appreciably in water. rating: low conditions: basis: solubility fields in the Chembox; no test of corrosion rates is given source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Chembox, SolubleOther and Solvent fields - environment: Water headline: 'The sources disagree on water solubility: the Chembox gives a figure, while the ICSC card says none.' effect: The ICSC card gives 'none' for solubility in water. The Chembox gives 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C. Both are recorded here and neither is filled in. rating: low conditions: basis: two sources compared side by side source: icsc-0827 where: Physical and chemical information, Solubility in water - environment: Fire and high temperature headline: The card says the material is not combustible, but it gives off irritating or toxic fumes in a fire. effect: ICSC 0827 says 'Not combustible. Gives off irritating or toxic fumes (or gases) in a fire.' It also says the material decomposes at 1600 °C. The card does not name the fumes. rating: low conditions: basis: fire-fighting section of the card; the gases are not named source: icsc-0827 where: Fire-fighting; Physical and chemical information risks: hazards: - text: 'PubChem''s aggregated summary reads: ''This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 91% (1648 of 1811) of all reports.''' ghs: [] source: pubchem-barium-sulfate where: Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification (CID 24414), first summary - text: 'One ECHA notification summary lists ''H302 (16.6%): Harmful if swallowed'' and ''H332 (16.6%): Harmful if inhaled'', with the signal word Warning.' ghs: - H302 - H332 source: pubchem-barium-sulfate where: Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification, Warning notification - text: 'A separate notification lists ''H372: Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure'', with the signal word Danger, and also lists H402 and H412 for aquatic harm.' ghs: - H372 - H402 - H412 source: pubchem-barium-sulfate where: Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification, Danger notification - text: The ICSC card says repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust particles may cause effects on the lungs, which it says may lead to baritosis, a form of benign pneumoconiosis. ghs: [] source: icsc-0827 where: Exposure and health effects, long-term or repeated exposure failure_risks: - mode: Violent reaction with aluminium powder trigger: Contact with aluminium powder in a mix or spill consequence: ICSC 0827 lists 'Reacts violently with aluminium powder' under chemical dangers. severity: moderate source: icsc-0827 where: Physical and chemical information, Chemical dangers (severity assessed by Space Mushroom from the card's wording) side_effects: [] handling: - text: The ICSC card says to prevent dispersion of dust, use local exhaust or breathing protection, and wear protective gloves and safety spectacles. source: icsc-0827 where: Prevention and handling - text: The card says to sweep spilled substance into covered containers and, if appropriate, to moisten it first to prevent dusting, using a particulate filter respirator. source: icsc-0827 where: Spillage disposal - text: No barium sulfate safety data sheet from a supplier was read in this run. Check the supplier's data sheet before handling bulk powder. source: pubchem-barium-sulfate where: Not found in this run; PubChem record read for the hazard entries above mitigations: - text: The ICSC card's eye first aid is to rinse first with plenty of water for several minutes, then refer for medical attention. source: icsc-0827 where: First aid, Eyes uses: - application: radiation-shielding device: Concrete aggregate for shielding around X-ray units example: The USGS says barite 'significantly blocks X-ray and gamma-ray emissions', so it is used as aggregate in high-density concrete for radiation shielding around X-ray units in hospitals, nuclear powerplants and university nuclear research facilities. source: usgs-mcs2026-barite where: Domestic Production and Use, paragraph 3 - application: radiation-shielding device: Filler in polymer composites example: Barium sulfate is used as a filler for polypropylene and polystyrene plastics in proportions up to 70%, and such composites are also used as X-ray shielding materials, per Wikipedia. source: wiki-barium-sulfate where: Uses, plastics filler paragraph supply: - subject: Barite (barium sulfate mineral) producers: - country: India share_percent: 34.5 year: 2025 - country: China share_percent: 25.3 year: 2025 - country: Morocco share_percent: 11.5 year: 2025 - country: Kazakhstan share_percent: 8 year: 2025 - country: Mexico share_percent: 3.4 year: 2025 critical_lists: - list: EU critical raw materials list (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, as shown on the European Commission page, which lists Baryte) listed: true recycling: 'USGS barite chapter: ''Recycling: None.''' substitutes: - 'USGS: ''there are no large-scale alternatives to barite in oil- and gas-drilling fluids''. It names calcium carbonate, hematite, ilmenite and manganese tetroxide as the most common alternatives in specific circumstances.' source: usgs-mcs2026-barite where: World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025 (world total 8,700 thousand metric tons; shares calculated by Space Mushroom against that total, which includes Other countries); Recycling; Substitutes media: [] documents: - title: 'International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)' type: datasheet url: https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827 year: 1999 - title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Barite' type: report url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-barite.pdf year: 2026 - title: 'PubChem: Barium Sulfate (CID 24414), GHS classification and CAS' type: database url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Barium-sulfate year: 2026 - title: Enhancing shielding efficiency of ordinary and barite concrete in radiation shielding utilizations (Scientific Reports 14, 26029) type: paper url: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-76402-0 year: 2024 - title: 'Radiation Shielding Performance of Different Concrete Materials: A Systematic Review (arXiv 2601.10336)' type: paper url: https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2601.10336 year: 2026 gaps: - No space, vacuum, lunar or Mars test of barium sulfate was found in the sources read in this run. - The solubility product and the magnetic susceptibility are printed in the Chembox in scientific notation, so they are not recorded. - The standard enthalpy of formation is printed in the Chembox with a Unicode minus sign that the value check cannot match, so it is not recorded. - Atomic weights for the recipe parts were not found in a source read in this run, so they are left out. - Crustal abundance and the USGS 2025 critical-minerals listing were not found in a source read in this run; only the EU listing is recorded. - No designation entry (UNS, EN, ASTM or trade code) was added. The EC and UN numbers are printed on the ICSC card and the Chembox, but they do not fit the designation systems list. - The melting point is given only in the Chembox; the ICSC card lists no melting point. - Hazard entries rest on the PubChem aggregated GHS summary and the ICSC card. No supplier safety data sheet was read. - Mohs hardness was not recorded because no unit was printed on the source page. - Shielding performance of barium sulfate as a concrete aggregate is covered in the separate barite-heavyweight concrete profile and is not repeated here. - Type spot-shields is the nearest existing shielding type in src/data/taxonomy.ts (the same type the barite concrete profile uses); it is an approximate fit for a mineral filler and not an exact one. - Some property names (molar_mass, decomposition_temperature, water_solubility, heat_capacity_molar, standard_molar_entropy, filler_loading, occupational_exposure_limit) are short snake_case names, not canonical names in spores/property-canon.yaml. license: CC-BY-4.0 updated: '2026-11-02' review: status: draft method: assistant checked_values: 14 unreachable: 1 caveats: 3 note: Written by an AI assistant on 2026-11-02 from eight sources read in this run. Values are copied as printed. The PubChem page is behind a browser check, so its GHS entries were read from the PubChem data service instead. The USGS 2025 critical-minerals page was not read. story: recipe: line: Barium sulfate is BaSO₄, a salt of barium and sulfate. It occurs in nature as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium according to the Wikipedia article. The formula BaSO₄ has the barium, sulfur and oxygen atoms listed in the parts. parts: - name: Barium symbol: Ba role: The heavy element that gives the material its high density and its ability to absorb X-rays and gamma rays. - name: Sulfur symbol: S role: Forms the sulfate group that binds the barium into a stable, insoluble salt. - name: Oxygen symbol: O role: Complete the sulfate group around the sulfur atom. risk_groups: - title: For people level: 0 verdict: 'Mixed: most reports not classified; some list H372' lead: PubChem's aggregated summary says most company reports do not meet GHS hazard criteria, but other notifications list hazard statements, including a repeated-exposure hazard. points: - label: Most reports line: 'PubChem''s summary reads: ''This chemical does not meet GHS hazard criteria for 91% (1648 of 1811) of all reports.''' - label: Harmful if swallowed line: One notification lists H302, harmful if swallowed, with the signal word Warning. - label: Repeated exposure line: Another notification lists H372, causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure, with the signal word Danger. - label: Dust line: The ICSC card advises preventing dust from spreading and says repeated or prolonged inhalation of dust may affect the lungs, possibly as baritosis. - title: Handling powder lead: Barium sulfate is usually handled as a powder or a filler, so the main concerns are dust and mixing with reactive metals. points: - label: Reaction line: The ICSC card warns that the material reacts violently with aluminium powder. - label: Fire line: The card says it is not combustible but gives off irritating or toxic fumes in a fire. why: Barium sulfate is a dense, poorly soluble barium salt that is used where a heavy, inert filler is needed. Its density and barium content let it block X-rays and gamma rays, so it is added to polymers and concrete for radiation shielding. The USGS lists its main uses as a weighting agent in drilling fluids, a filler and extender in paints and plastics, and aggregate in high-density concrete for radiation shielding. The 2026 systematic review of shielding concretes calls barite and magnetite concretes among the most reliable materials for medical radiation rooms, nuclear containment structures and accelerator facilities. No space or vacuum test was found. uses: - where: Concrete for X-ray and gamma shielding line: The USGS says barite significantly blocks X-ray and gamma-ray emissions, so it is used as aggregate in high-density concrete around X-ray units in hospitals, nuclear power plants and university nuclear research facilities. - where: Polymer composites line: Barium sulfate is used as a filler for polypropylene and polystyrene plastics in proportions up to 70%, and such composites are also used as X-ray shielding materials. - where: Drilling fluids line: Wikipedia says the largest use of barium sulfate is as a component of oil-well drilling fluid, where it raises the density of the fluid and reduces the chance of a blowout. can_do: - label: Density benchmark: density line: The Chembox gives a density of 4.49 g/cm3, and the ICSC card gives 4.5 g/cm3. The barite mineral has a density of 4.48 g/cm3 according to Ahmad et al. (2024). - label: Filler capacity benchmark: filler_loading value: Up to 70% line: Polymer composites carry barium sulfate in proportions up to 70%, per Wikipedia. The filler raises the density of the plastic and adds X-ray opacity. - label: Melting benchmark: melting_point line: The Chembox gives a melting point of 1580 °C. The ICSC card gives no melting point and says the material decomposes at 1600 °C. - label: Water solubility benchmark: water_solubility line: The Chembox gives a water solubility of 2.448 mg/L at 20 °C, which keeps the solid largely undissolved in water. compare: Barium sulfate is the pure, manufactured form of the mineral barite, and the two are the same chemical. Ahmad et al. (2024) give a density of 4.48 g/cm3 for barite, and the Chembox gives 4.49 g/cm3 for barium sulfate; the two values are close and both are recorded. Barium sulfate used in concrete is a different material system with different strength and attenuation figures, which are set out in the separate barite-heavyweight concrete profile. compare_rows: - label: Density benchmark: density - label: Melting point benchmark: melting_point - label: Water solubility benchmark: water_solubility handling: - Prevent dust from spreading, and use local exhaust or breathing protection, per the ICSC card. - Wear protective gloves and safety spectacles when handling the powder. - Keep it away from aluminium powder, which it reacts with violently. - Check the supplier's safety data sheet before handling bulk powder, since none was read here. good_for: - Dense filler for X-ray and gamma shielding in polymers and concrete, per the USGS and Wikipedia. - Very low water solubility (Chembox), so the solid stays largely undissolved in water. watch_out: - Dust hazard, and one notification lists H372 for repeated exposure. - Reacts violently with aluminium powder, per the ICSC card. - No space, vacuum or long-term radiation-durability data in the sources read. - The ICSC card and the Chembox disagree on water solubility. verdict: Barium sulfate is a dense, very poorly soluble filler for X-ray and gamma shielding. Its main hazards are dust and reaction with aluminium powder, and no space test was found. sources: wiki-barium-sulfate: title: Barium sulfate (Wikipedia, Chembox and Uses sections) id: Wikipedia article 'Barium sulfate' (accessed 2026-11-02) url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_sulfate year: 2026 kind: web license: CC BY-SA 4.0 icsc-0827: title: 'International Chemical Safety Card 0827: Barium sulfate (ILO and WHO)' id: ICSC 0827, October 1999; CAS 7727-43-7 url: https://chemicalsafety.ilo.org/dyn/icsc/showcard.display?p_card_id=0827 year: 1999 kind: datasheet license: ILO and WHO copyright notice on the card; cited, not reproduced usgs-mcs2026-barite: title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Barite id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026 url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-barite.pdf year: 2026 kind: report license: public domain (USGS) pubchem-barium-sulfate: title: PubChem compound record, Barium Sulfate (CID 24414) id: CID 24414; CAS 7727-43-7 url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Barium-sulfate year: 2026 kind: database license: public domain (NCBI) ec-crm: title: Critical raw materials (European Commission, list of 34 critical raw materials under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252) id: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 url: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en year: 2024 kind: web license: European Commission web page webmineral-barite: title: 'Webmineral: Barite mineral data' id: webmineral.com, barite data page url: https://webmineral.com/data/Barite.shtml year: 2026 kind: database license: web page (licence not checked) ahmad2024-sci: title: Enhancing shielding efficiency of ordinary and barite concrete in radiation shielding utilizations id: doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76402-0 (Scientific Reports 14, 26029) url: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-76402-0 year: 2024 kind: paper license: open-access journal (licence not checked) subaar2026: title: 'Radiation Shielding Performance of Different Concrete Materials: A Systematic Review' id: arXiv:2601.10336 url: https://www.arxiv.org/pdf/2601.10336 year: 2026 kind: paper license: arXiv preprint (licence not checked)