ANTIMONY
Gynecological examinations were performed on women (number not specified) occupationally exposed to dust
containing metallic antimony, antimony trioxide, and antimony pentasulfide over a period of 2 years (Belyaeva,
1967). These women were compared with a group of control women, who, presumably, were not exposed. The
level of exposure was not specified, and it is not known how the control group was selected, whether several
important confounding variables were controlled for, or whether concurrent exposure to other potentially toxic
substances occurred. A higher incidence of "various sexual disturbances" was reported in the exposed women as
compared with controls (77.5% vs. 56.0%); these included disturbances of the menstrual cycle in 61.2% of the
exposed women (as compared with 35.7% of the controls), inflammatory disease in 30.4% (as compared with
55.3% of the controls), and other ailments of the sexual organs in 8.4% of the exposed workers. Antimony was
detected in the blood of the exposed workers at levels 10 times higher than in the controls. Antimony also was
measured in the urine, breast milk, amniotic fluid, placental tissue, and umbilical cord blood of the exposed
workers. The incidence of spontaneous abortions was 12.5% in the exposed women as compared with 4.1% in the
controls, and the incidence of premature births was 3.4% (1.2% in the controls). The birth weights of children born
to the exposed women were comparable to those of children born to the controls, but body weight of the children
of exposed women began to lag considerably after 1 year.
Balyaeva (1967) also exposed female rats to antimony trioxide dust by inhalation for a total of 1.5-2.0 months at a
concentration of 250 mg/cu.m (210 mg/cu.m antimony) for 4 hours/day. Exposure began 3-5 days before estrus
and continued through mating and gestation until 3-5 days prior to delivery. Only 16/24 exposed rats became
pregnant; 10/10 control rats were pregnant. The average litter size was smaller in the exposed rats (6.2 vs. 8.3 in
the controls). No teratogenic effects were seen in the fetuses of the exposed animals. No data were presented on
the incidence of resorption or fetal deaths. In addition, no fetal abnormalities were seen in animals given a single
dose of metallic antimony (50 mg/kg) 3-5 days prior to mating.
This substance/agent has not undergone a complete evaluation and determination under US EPA's IRIS program
for evidence of human carcinogenic potential.
http://www.epa.gov/IRIS/subst/0676.htm