Barium
Alkaline earth metal which occurs naturally in rocks and minerals
Its compounds are used e.g. in gas- and oil industry, in metal-, glass-, ceramics-, and paint industry, in paper- and rubber- production as well as in chemical and electronics industry and pyrotechnics.
Owing to its high density, baryt (BaSO4) is suitable for radiation shielding and used as radio contrast agent for X-ray imaging. The pure metal serves as getter material in vacuum valves.
Emissions result from weathering of rocks and minerals and anthropogenic activities. Barium is rather immobile in the environment due to the formation of water-insoluble salts. Soluble barium compounds are toxic to aquatic organisms. Terrestrial and marine plants and marine animals can accumulate barium (bioaccumulation).
Endocrine disrupting effects have been demonstrated for barium chloride in laboratory tests.
Recommended analysis examples
Search data
Specimen
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Common brown alga of the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Sea
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A major primary producer in semi-natural and anthropogenic affected ecosystems.
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A major primary producer in semi-natural and anthropogenic affected ecosystems.
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A deciduous tree typical of ecosystems close to dense conurbations and an indicator for the characterisation of the immission situation during the vegetation period.
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As the most dominant deciduous tree species in Central Europe, it plays a significant role in most nearly natural and also anthropogenically influenced forest ecosystems up to an altitude of 1100 m.
Sampling area
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The only high mountains national park in Germany and an area of the Limestone Alps with international relevance
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Important, old-industrialised conurbation in Germany.
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Main water divide between the North- and Baltic Sea
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Germany's first national park
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National Park in the largest brackish water (Bodden) habitat of the world.
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National park in the world largest connected sand and mud flats.
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Region in the chemical triangle of Central Germany
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Germany's largest forest national park
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Second highest and largest low mountain range in Northern Germany
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Germany's largest connected forest area in a range of low mountains
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The Upper Bavarian Tertiary Uplands are a part of the Southern German Molasse Basin
Sampling period
1985 - 2022