The Barium Sulphate is an inert filler in cement, much as lead dust,
iron shot, sand and gravel would be. It is added at the same time as the
aggregate. Besides, I wouldn't want *anyone* to work with those
quantities of any soluble barium salt - it causes the archetypal heavy
metal poisoning (pun NOT intended).
Cheers,
Paul
[log in to unmask] wrote:
>In a message dated 9/24/2004 11:35:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
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>>On another point from the original question, the higher the atomic number
>>of an element the better
>>it will absorb X-rays (or gamma rays). The atomic number of barium is 56,
>>whereas lead is 82, so
>>lead should be better for absorbing the gamma rays. However barium sulphate
>>may at the time have
>>been cheaper and easier to obtain than lead.
>>
>>
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>And from "Periodic Table reasoning", barium should behave akin to calcium, a
>major component in cements. (Lead is not a constituent of cements.)
>
>Noel Kirshenbaum
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