English Abstract This report contains general information on Antimony
and antimony compounds concerning the existing standards, emissions,
exposure levels and effect levels. The document is to be considered as a
start for the national discussion during an exploratory meeting on
integrated criteria documents. Many antimony-emitting sources are known but
the emission figures are often lacking. The most important known sources of
emissions to air are light bulb production and pigment industry, and
possibly the burning of fire retardants, whereas hunting, shooting and sport
fishing contribute significantly to emissions to soil and water.
Concentration levels of antimony in the environment are, relative to other
heavy metals, scarcely available. With regard to the carcinogenic effect of
antimony, it seems as yet justified to use at threshold extrapolation method
for risk assessment. The risk of antimony in food and drinking water for
humans is small, considering the difference between the tolerable daily
intake of 0.86 mug.kg-1 bw and the actual estimated daily intake of 0.17
to 0.33 mg.kg. bw. The risk of current antimony concentrations in air for
humans is also considered small. An average exposure concentration in urban
areas of 23 ng Sb.m-3 has been reported, which is below the tentative
maximum tolerable concentration of 3200 ng Sb.m-3. For aquatic organisms a
tentative maximum tolerable concentration of 3 mug.l-1 was derived (as
"dissolved" Sb; < 0.45 mum). The average concentrations (total Sb) in
Dutch surface waters are usually below 1 mug.l-1. The risk to aquatic
organisms is within acceptable limits, possibly localities in the vicinity
of waste water outlets excepted. Also in soil the current antimony levels
are considered not to present a risk to soil organisms in general. A point
that may need attention is the contamination of the environment as a result
from shooting, hunting and sport fishing. It is recommended to determine
antimony concentrations near some point sources in surfacewater and to
evaluate the effects of shooting, hunting and sport fishing in combination
with the effects of other contaminants such as lead.