BARIUM IN BONES AND FOODSTUFFS

Emission spectroscopy was used to determine the amount of barium and strontium in human bones. The barium content was found to be approximately 36 mu g/g Ca compared with a value of 320 mu g/g Ca for natural strontium in adults. Unlike strontium the barium content of bones does not increase with age and in this respect barium resembles radium. An approximate discrimination factor of 13 was calculated for barium with respect to calcium between the level in the diet and that in bones. (auth)