also used to make red pigments such as Lithol red and Red Lake C. Its toxicity limits its applicability. Toxicity Barium chloride, along with other water-soluble barium salts, is highly toxic. It irritates eyes and skin, causing redness and pain. It damages kidneys. Fatal dose of barium chloride for a human has been reported to be about 0.8-0.9 g. Systemic effects of acute barium chloride toxicity include abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia, muscular paralysis, and death. The ions competes with the ions, causing the muscle fibers to be electrically unexcitable, thus causing weakness and paralysis of the body. Sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate are potential antidotes because they form barium sulfate BaSO4, which is relatively non-toxic because of its insolubility in water. Barium chloride is not classified as a human carcinogen. References External links International Chemical Safety Card 0614. (anhydrous) International Chemical Safety Card 0615. (dihydrate) Barium chloride's use in industry. ChemSub Online: Barium chloride. Chlorides Alkaline earth metal halides Barium compounds Inorganic compounds Pyrotechnic colorants