Antimony occupational exposure

OSHA has a TWA standaid on a weight of Sb basis of 0.5 mg/for antimony in addition to a standard TWA of 2.5 mg/m for fluoride. NIOSH has issued a criteria document on occupational exposure to inorganic fluorides. Antimony pentafluoride is considered by the EPA to be an extremely hazardous substance and releases of 0.45 kg or more reportable quantity (RQ) must be reported. Antimony triduoride is on the CERCLA bst and releasing of 450 kg or more RQ must be reported. 

The information available regarding the association of occupational exposure to lead with increased cancer risk is generally limited in its usefulness because the actual compound(s) of lead, the route(s) of exposure, and level(s) of lead to which the workers were exposed were often not reported. Furthermore, potential for exposure to other chemicals including arsenic, cadmium, and antimony occurred, particularly in lead smelters, and smoking was a possible confounder (Cooper 1976 IARC 1987). These studies, therefore, are not sufficient to determine the carcinogenicity of lead in humans, and the following discussion is restricted to the most comprehensive of these studies. 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, US Department of Health, Education and Welfare Criteria for a Recommended Standard... Occupational Exposure to Antimony, DHEW (NIOSH) 78-216. Washington, DC, US Government Printing Office, 1978... 

The report also showed that a statistically significant increase in the incidenee of lung tumors was observed in rats exposed to antimony trioxide by inhalation. It was also noted that there is an increased incidence of lung cancer in rats exposed by inhalation to antimony trisulfide. This observation, coupled with indications that occupational exposure to antimony processing is associated with lung cancers in humans, is qualitative evidence for the carcinogenicity of antimony by inhalation. However, an earlier U.S. EPA analysis concluded that the animal data were insufficient for quantitative estimation of the carcinogenic potency of antimony. 

Antimony— A Recommended Standard for Occupational Exposure, DHEW (NIOSH) Publication No. 78-216, 1976. 

Occupational Exposure to Antimony, Ed. NIOSH, Public Health Service, Washington, D.C., Sept. 1978. 

A small study of workers directly exposed to antimony ttioxide as a powder or fumes examined whether immune function was affected by occupational exposure to antimony (Kim et al. 1999). This study s results suggested several indices of immune function, including IgGl, IgE and interferon-gamma levels in serum, were all depressed in antimony-exposed workers compared to workers in the same facility who did not work with antimony, while lgG4 levels were positively related to urinary antimony levels in exposed workers. To what extent there may have been co-exposures to other workplace chemicals is not known. It is not known whether non-occupational antimony exposure in the general population affects immune function. 

McCallum RI (2005) Occupational exposure to antimony compounds. J Environ Monit 7(12) 1245-1250... 

Acute inhalation exposure of humans may cause gastrointestinal disorders, probably due to ingestion of airborne antimony. Long-term occupational exposure of humans has resulted in electrocardiac disorders, respiratory disorders, and possibly increased mortality. Antimony levels for these occupational exposure evaluations ranged from 2.2 to 11.98 mg Sb/m. Based on limited data, occupational exposure of women to metallic antimony and several antimony compounds has reportedly caused alterations in the menstrual cycle and an increased incidence of spontaneous abortions. 

Ludersdorf R, Fuchs A, Mayer P, et al. 1987. Biological assessment of exposure to antimony and lead in the glass-producing industry. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 59 469-474. 

Antimony salts have in the past found many uses in medicine, and antimony compounds, especially penta-valent ones, are still used to treat Schistosoma japoni-cum infestation and leishmaniasis (2). Antimony is also used as an emetic. Attention is being paid to the anticancer potential of antimony compounds (3,4). As with many other metals, occupational and environmental exposure is possible and can act additively with medical exposure. 

Allergic contact dermatitis associated with exposure to different forms of antimony are limited to several case reports in the literature of occupationally exposed workers in the ceramics (Motolese et al. 1993) and metal smelting industries (White et al. 1993). 

Clemente GF, Ingrao G, Santaroni GP (1982) The concentration of some trace elements in human milk from Italy. Sci Total Environ 24(3) 255-265 Cooper RG, Harrison AP (2009) The exposure to and health effects of antimony. Indian J Occup... 

Exposure to antimony from direct contact is unlikely except under occupational conditions. 

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