The exposure to and health effects of antimony

Abstract

Context:This minireview describes the health effects of antimony exposure in the workplace and the environment.Aim:To collate information on the consequences of occupational and environmental exposure to antimony on physiological function and well-being.Methods:The criteria used in the current minireview for selecting articles were adopted from proposed criteria in The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Articles were classified from an acute and chronic exposure and toxicity thrust.Results:The proportion of utilised and non-utilised articles was tabulated. Antimony toxicity is dependent on the exposure dose, duration, route (breathing, eating, drinking, or skin contact), other chemical exposures, age, sex, nutritional status, family traits, life style, and state of health. Chronic exposure to antimony in the air at levels of 9 mg/m3 may exacerbate irritation of the eyes, skin, and lungs. Long-term inhalation of antimony can potentiate pneumoconiosis, altered electrocardiograms, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach ulcers, results which were confirmed in laboratory animals. Although there were investigations of the effect of antimony in sudden infant death syndrome, current findings suggest no link. Antimony trioxide exposure is predominant in smelters. Mining and exposure via glass working, soldering, and brazing are also important.Conclusion:Antimony has some useful but undoubtedly harmful effects on health and well-being and measures need to be taken to prevent hazardous exposure of the like. Its biological monitoring in the workplace is essential.

Antimony Accumulation in Wheat Seedlings Grown in Soil and Water

“…Like many other metals and metalloids, Sb at elevated concentrations may be toxic and potentially carcinogenic (Rossi et al 1987;Cooper and Harrison 2009). It was reported that a significant amount of antimony sulfide (Sb 2 S 3 ) contained in the brake pads is oxidized during braking processes (Von Uexküll et al 2005), thus leading to the formation of the suspected human carcinogen antimony oxide (Sb 2 O 3 ).…”

Toxicity of antimony, copper, cobalt, manganese, titanium and zinc oxide nanoparticles for the alveolar and intestinal epithelial barrier cells in vitro

“…However, the use of antimony is increasing as a fire retardant in rubber, plastics, pigments, adhesives, textiles and paper; as a fining agent in glass manufacture; and has a long history of use as a medicine in the treatment of parasitic diseases (Sundar and Chakravarty 2010). Leaching antimony from polyvinylchloride (PVC) is enhanced at both low and high pH, by elevated temperature and by contact with body fluids (Cooper and Harrison 2009). Furthermore, recent findings prove that antimony used as polyester catalyst may leach from plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles widely used for packaging drinking water or other beverages (Westerhoff et al 2008;Fan et al 2014).…”

Antimony and Nickel

“…Subsequently, urine antimony concentrations in SIDS infants were found to be similar to control and healthy infants, refuting this theory [85]. Detection of antimony in hair of healthy babies further suggested no link between antimony and SIDS [41].…”

“…Acute ingestion of antimony salts primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Toxicity manifests as nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, melena, and hematemesis and may lead to volume depletion and hypovolemic shock [41]. One or two grains of tartar emetic were sufficient to cause death in a child and adult, respectively [44].…”