Barium nitrate fighters, such as the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, during the Battle of Britain. It is also used in the manufacturing process of barium oxide, the vacuum tube industry and for green fire in pyrotechnics. Like all soluble barium compounds, barium nitrate is toxic by ingestion or inhalation. Solutions of sulfate salts such as Epsom salts or sodium sulfate may be given as first aid for barium poisoning, as they precipitate the barium as the insoluble (and non-toxic) barium sulfate. Inhalation may also cause irritation to the respiratory tract. While skin or eye contact is less harmful than ingestion or
Barium bromide over a short period of time Barium bromide can be crystallized out from the solution in its dihydrate form, BaBr·2HO, which gives the anhydrous form upon heating to 120 °C. Barium bromide is a precursor to chemicals used in photography and to other bromides. Historically, barium bromide was used to purify radium in a process of fractional crystallization devised by Marie Curie. Since radium precipitates preferentially in a solution of barium bromide, the ratio of radium to barium in the precipitate would be higher than the ratio in the solution. Barium bromide, along with other water-soluble barium salts, is toxic