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Antimony compounds (as Sb)
May 1994
Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH)
CAS number: 7440-36-0 (Metal)
NIOSH REL: 0.5 mg Sb/m3 TWA
Current OSHA PEL: 0.5 mg Sb/m3 TWA
1989 OSHA PEL: Same as current PEL
1993-1994 ACGIH TLV: 0.5 mg Sb/m3 TWA
Description of substance: Varies
Original (SCP) IDLH: 80 mg Sb/m3
Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: AIHA [1959] reported that the severity of hazard is moderate to high for both acute and chronic exposures to antimony and its compounds. Brieger et al. [1954] noted an apparent increase in heart abnormalities in workers chronically exposed to antimony trisulfide (0.6 to 5.5 mg/m3) and demonstrated heart injury in experimental animals. The chosen IDLH is based on the report by Taylor [1966] that slightly delayed gastrointestinal disorders, including abdominal pain and persistent anorexia, were noted in workers briefly exposed to air containing up to 73 mg/m3 of antimony.
Short-term exposure guidelines: None developed
ACUTE TOXICITY DATA
Lethal concentration data:
| Adjusted | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LC50 | LCLo | 0.5-hr | Derived | |||
| Species | Reference | (ppm) | (ppm) | Time | LC (CF) | Value |
| Mouse | Chekunova and Minkina 1987 | 720 mg/m3 | —– | ? | ? | ? |
| Rat | Izmerov et al. 1982 | 720 mg/m3 | —– | 2 hr | 469 mg Sb/m3 | 47 mg Sb/m3 |
Lethal dose data:
| LD50 | LDLo | Derived | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Reference | Route | (Mg/kg) | (mg/kg) | Adjusted LD | Value |
| Rat | Coulston and Korte 1975 | oral | 7,500 | —– | 49,000 mg Sb/m3 | 4,900 mg Sb/m3 |
| Rat | Smyth and Carpenter 1948 | oral | 20,000 | —– | 117,600 mg Sb/m3 | 11,760 mg Sb/m3 |
| Rat | Arzamastev 1964 | oral | 1,115 | —– | 3,179 mg Sb/m3 | 318 mg Sb/m3 |
| G.pig | Arzamastev 1964 | oral | 900 | —– | 2,566 mg Sb/m3 | 257 mg Sb/m3 |
Human data: Antimony pentachloride (SbCl5) is considered to be the most toxic of the antimony chlorides [ACGIH 1991]. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) TLV for antimony is based on an analogy to hydrogen chloride [ACGIH 1991].
| Revised IDLH: 50 mg Sb/m3Basis for revised IDLH: The revised IDLH for antimony compounds is 50 mg Sb/m3 based on acute inhalation toxicity data in animals [Izmerov et al. 1982] and an analogy to hydrogen chloride [ACGIH 1991] which has a revised IDLH of 50 ppm (75 mg/m3). |
References:
- ACGIH [1991]. Antimony and compounds. In: Documentation of the threshold limit values and biological exposure indices. 6th ed. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, pp. 73-75.
- AIHA [1959]. Antimony and its compounds (excepting stibine). In: Hygienic guide series. Am Ind Hyg Assoc Q 20:515-516.
- Arzamastsev EV [1964]. Experimental substantiation of the permissible concentrations of tri- and pentavalent antimony in water bodies. Gig Sanit 29(12):16-21 (translated).
- Brieger H, Semisch CW, Stasney J, Piatek DA [1954]. Industrial antimony poisoning. Ind Med Surg 23:521-523.
- Chekunova MP, Minkina MA [1987]. Toxicity of pentachlorinated antimony in a chronic experiment. Gig Tr Prof Zabol 13(10):25-29 (in Russian).
- Coulston F, Korte F, eds. [1975]. Heavy metal toxicity, safety and hormology. In: Environmental Quality & Safety, Supplement 1. New York, NY: Georg Thieme Publishers, pp. 1-120.
- Izmerov NF, Sanotsky IV, Sidorov KK [1982]. Toxicometric parameters of industrial toxic chemicals under single exposure. Moscow, Russia: Centre of International Projects, GKNT, p. 22.
- Smyth HF Jr, Carpenter CP [1948]. Further experience with the range finding test in the industrial toxicology laboratory. J Ind Hyg Toxicol 30(1):63-68.
- Taylor PJ [1966]. Acute intoxication from antimony trichloride. Br J Ind Med 23(4):318-321.