Antimony ingestion

Although metallic antimony may be handled freely without danger, it is recommended that direct skin contact with antimony and its alloys be avoided. Properly designed exhaust ventilation systems and/or approved respirators are required for operations that create dusts or fumes. As with other heavy metals, orderly housekeeping practice and good personal hygiene are necessary to prevent ingestion of (or exposure to) antimony. 

Many of the salts of antimony are carcinogenic and can cause lung cancer if inhaled, as well as other cancers if ingested. This is a major hazard with the radioisotopes of antimony used in industry. Some of its sulfide compounds are explosive. 

There are many examples of relatively straightforward use of ICP-MS for the analysis of biological fluids. Antimony has been measured in blood after a 14 1 dilution [236]. Cesium serum levels were found to be elevated in patients with alcohol dementia but not in Alzheimer s disease patients [237]. Cobalt levels in rat serum depended on the form of cobalt [238] ingested. Bismuth levels were measured in human blood and urine by using a direct injection nebulizer [239]. Lead was measured in the blood and blood plasma of smelter workers and the general population [240]. The measurement of trace elements in serum by ICP-MS has been compared to results from neutron activation analysis and proton-induced x-ray emission [241]. Semiquantitative analysis can also be used to obtain a rapid screening of samples [242]. 

DOT CLASSIFICATION 8 Label Corrosive SAFETY PROFILE Poison by ingestion. Corrosive. Mutation data reported. See ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS and ANTIMONY(III) CHLORIDE. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of Cr and Sb. 

SAFETY PROFILE Most antimony compounds are poisons by ingestion, inhalation, and intraperitoneal routes. See also ANTIMONY. Locally antimony compounds irritate the skin and mucous membranes. Sb+++ and hot HCIO3 can form an explosive mixture. 

SAFETY PROFILE Poison by ingestion and intravenous routes. Questionable carcinogen with experimental carcinogenic and tumorigenic data. Can explode. Explodes on contact with tris(dimethylamino) antimony. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NOx. See also ESTERS. 

OSHA PEL TWA 0.5 mg(Sb)/m3 ACGIH TLV TWA 0.5 mg(Sb)/m3 Proposed (inhalable fraction) 0.1 mg/m Not Classifiable as a Human Carcinogen) NiOSH REL (Antimony) TWA 0.5 mg/m SAFETY PROFILE Poison by ingestion. Human systemic effects by ingestion nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal effects. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of T, NOx, and Sb. See also ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS, EMETINE and IODIDES. 

SAFETY PROFILE Poison by ingestion and intraperitoneal routes. A trace mineral added to animal feeds. Potentially explosive reaction with charcoal + ozone, metals (e.g., powdered aluminum, copper), arsenic carbon, phosphoms, sulfur, alkali metal hydrides, alkaline earth metal hydrides, antimony sulfide, arsenic sulfide, copper sulfide, tin sulfide, metal cyanides, metal thiocyanates, manganese dioxide, phosphorus. Violent reaction with organic matter. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of I and K2O. See also lODATES. 

Normally, antimony is absorbed slowly when ingested or administered orally. Many antimony compounds are gastrointestinal irritants. The emetic antimony potassium tartrate is easily absorbed and, within 24 h, 50% is excreted in the urine (hamsters). Antimony can concentrate in lung tissue, the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, the kidneys, and the liver. The trivalent compounds of antimony concentrate in the red blood cells and liver and the pentavalent compounds concentrate in the blood plasma. Both forms are excreted in feces and urine, but generally. 

Sb was not signilicant. In summary, there appears to be considerable uncertainty over the most appropriate transfer factor for antimony, which is perhaps exacerbated by differences in the degree of plant uptake of stable Sb and Sb, which are likely to have been present in the soil for very different time periods. The committed effective dose per unit intake following ingestion of - Sb is 1.1 X 10 Sv Bq for adults older than 17 years of age (IAEA, 1996). 

EXPOSURE ROUTES Inhalation (contaminated air near hazardous waste sites or antimony processing sites) ingestion (contaminated food and drinking water) absorption. 

Some trace metals are classified as toxic. There is, perhaps, justification for this classification for such metals as arsenic, lead, and mercury. In addition, extended exposure of mammals to small amounts of cadmium, lead, selenium, antimony, and nickel carbonyl can shorten life or cause cancer, and lead, nickel, antimony, cadmium, and mercury in small amounts cause human health problems. However, all metals are toxic if ingested at sufficiently high levels. Frequently, the effects of a toxic metal are increased by nutritional deficiencies. ... 

A. Acute ingestion of antimony causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (often bloody). Hepatitis and renal insufficiency may occur. Death is rare if the patient survives the initial gastroenteritis. 

Fireplace crystals May oontain salts of copper, selenium, arsenic, and antimony. Small amounts oan oause irritation to the mouth orstomach. (Larger ingestions oould oohoelvably result in heavy metal poisoning see specific heavy metal.)... 

Antimony is absorbed slowly in the body when inhaled or ingested and can concentrate in a number of tissues such as the lung, the thyroid and adrenal glands, the kidne), the liver and the blood. It inhibits the actions of certain enzymes, which can result in alterations to glucose metabolism and nerve transmission. 

Antimony trioxide is classified in the USA as a Class B poison and must not be ingested. After handling the powder, hands should be washed. Food must be strictly forbidden in areas where it is dispensed and mixed. 

Using the website found in Exercise 114 or another website, hst the potential health effects from ingestion of drinking water with excess (a) antimony (b) beryUium. 

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