Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Antimony toxicity...??

Antimony toxicity...??

Mr. Rogers - 17-11-2018 at 09:54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcc6qNT3BoU

At 39 seconds, the speaker has a bottle of elemental antimony all wrapped up and he's concerned about opening the bottle, due to "severe toxicological problems", and ..."I can get into a lot of trouble with that". And then you hear him say under his breath "that's evil stuff".

I didn't think elemental Sb is all that toxic...

[Edited on 17-11-2018 by Mr. Rogers]

Mr. Rogers - 17-11-2018 at 10:52

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman

but with an acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stibine#Safety

I get that. The guy in the video was concerned about elemental Sb though.

Mr. Rogers - 17-11-2018 at 10:57

Somehow Sulaiman's post disappeared...

Sulaiman - 17-11-2018 at 10:57

bugger !
you quoted me too quickly, before I could erase my brain fart

Mr. Rogers - 17-11-2018 at 10:58

Sorry... No prob!

Tdep - 17-11-2018 at 22:08

Here's my video on Antimony... except I get it out the plastic wrapping.
https://youtu.be/iG8WuLhNXg4

I didn't think it was all that awful. Not healthy, but not worth being terrified of

unionised - 18-11-2018 at 01:44

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony_pill

fusso - 18-11-2018 at 09:22

Poor brits, they've been brainwashed by their chemophobic gov and lawmakers, even the experienced chemists are afraid of chunks of an innocent element...

vmelkon - 18-11-2018 at 09:40

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents...

Does it give cancer?
"Human studies are inconclusive regarding antimony exposure and cancer, while animal studies have reported lung tumors in rats exposed
to antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) via inhalation."

Is it toxic?
Antimony is considered to have high acute toxicity based on short-term oral tests in rats, mice, and guinea pigs. (3)

Also, read the "Chronic Effects (Noncancer) part.

Conclusion: it doesn't look like an immediate killer like cyanide or CO is. It causes nasty long term health effects.

j_sum1 - 18-11-2018 at 15:51

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony#Toxicity

Quote:

Certain compounds of antimony appear to be toxic, particularly antimony trioxide and antimony potassium tartrate. Effects may be similar to arsenic poisoning. Occupational exposure may cause respiratory irritation, pneumoconiosis, antimony spots on the skin, gastrointestinal symptoms and cardiac arrhythmias. In addition antimony trioxide is potentially carcinogenic to humans.

Adverse health effects have been observed in humans and animals following inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure to antimony and antimony compounds. Antimony toxicity typically occurs either due to occupational exposure, during therapy or from accidental ingestion. It is unclear if antimony can enter the body through the skin.

It seems like if you wear gloves, avoid inhaling particulate matter, don't drink any solutions -- in other words, standard lab practice, you should be fine.
I would probably be wanting better information than this and would take further precautions if I was handling it every day. But this does not seem to me to be a particularly difficult element.

woelen - 19-11-2018 at 02:55

Although antimony and arsenic have some properties in common, there is quite a big difference in the element's toxicity. Antimony in a form which can dissolve in stomach acid (e.g. Sb2O3, antimony/tartrate complex) is quite toxic and also a strong emetic (which makes it somewhat less dangerous, because the body purges it). However, as j_sum1 writes, when you use common sense in working with the element or its compounds, then there is no imminent risk. Arsenic is a whole different things. Its compounds (e.g. As2O3) are very very toxic and even small amounts may introduce serious health issues. It is also known that arsenic and its compounds are strong cancer-inducing agents, while antimony and its compounds might be somewhat cancer-promoting, but this is not known for sure. Elemental antimony hardly is toxic at all.

I work quite comfortably with antimony compounds, while I am very very careful when working with arsenic (I mostly avoid working with arsenic completely, the number of experiments I did with this is very low).

Herr Haber - 19-11-2018 at 06:43

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

It seems like if you wear gloves, avoid inhaling particulate matter, don't drink any solutions -- in other words, standard lab practice, you should be fine.

It's also unwise to have it alloyed with lead and enter your body at 300m+ / second.
Other than that...

j_sum1 - 19-11-2018 at 07:12

Quote: Originally posted by Herr Haber

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1

It seems like if you wear gloves, avoid inhaling particulate matter, don't drink any solutions -- in other words, standard lab practice, you should be fine.

It's also unwise to have it alloyed with lead and enter your body at 300m+ / second.
Other than that...

unionised - 19-11-2018 at 11:48

Does that alloy kill 3 vampires out of 400?

j_sum1 - 19-11-2018 at 13:49

Well, determining the LD50 for the undead is always a bit tricky.

nezza - 19-11-2018 at 14:23

"Chemophobic gov and lawmakers". Exactly. I hate our government. They have ruined chemistry as an amateur hobby in the name of "Health and safety". You can't get many useful reagents in the UK these days. Antimony is moderatelt toxic. It has been used medicinally in the past "Tartar emetic" and pentavalent antimony is used to in theb treatment of some parasitic/helminth infestations.

tahallium - 25-2-2020 at 14:52

Can I hold antimony by hand? Without gloves? (Nilered touched Mercury)

Velzee - 25-2-2020 at 15:17

Quote: Originally posted by tahallium

Can I hold antimony by hand? Without gloves? (Nilered touched Mercury)

Presumably. Wash your hands afterwards, and don't handle it often like that.

BromicAcid - 25-2-2020 at 16:43

Look up information on historic Antimony Cups and Antimony Pills - very interesting.

beerwiz - 9-3-2020 at 15:17

Antimony is brutal. I use it in my alchemical procedures and you must use appropriate respiratory protection, it's like the corona virus. And don't touch your face after handling it, especially your eyes. I did that mistake, and my eyes dried up like the desert.

[Edited on 9-3-2020 by beerwiz]