External and internal antimony exposure in starter battery production

Abstract

In the production of lead batteries two antimony compounds occur: in the casting of grids antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), and in the formation of lead plates stibine (SbH3). Seven workers from the grid-casting area and 14 workers from the formation area were examined with regard to the antimony concentration in blood (Sb-B) and urine (Sb-U). Antimony air concentrations (Sb-A) were measured by means of personal air samplers. Urine samples were collected at the end of the working week, at the beginning (U1) and the end (U2) of the shift, and at the beginning of work following a weekend without Sb exposure (U3). At U2 among the casters, the median Sb-A exposure was 4.5 (1.18-6.6) micrograms Sb/m3 and among the formation workers, 12.4 (0.6-41.5) micrograms Sb/m3. The exposure in both groups is more than 10 times lower than the present threshold limit values. The median Sb-B concentrations in the preshift samples was 2.6 (0.5-3.4) micrograms Sb/l for the casters and 10.1 (0.5-17.9) micrograms Sb/l for the formation workers. The average Sb-U values (U2) were 3.9 (2.8-5.6) micrograms Sb/g creatinine in the casting area and 15.2 (3.5-23.4) micrograms Sb/g creatinine in the forming area. Our investigation indicates that the two antimony compounds show virtually equal pulmonary absorption and renal elimination. The statistically significant correlations between Sb-A/Sb-B and Sb-A/Sb-U form the basis for proposals regarding appropriate biological exposure limits for occupational antimony exposure.

Biomonitoring of chemical exposure among New York City firefighters responding to the World Trade Center fire and collapse.

“…Combustion of plastics or particulate dusts containing antimony from the WTC collapse probably explains this increase in exposed firefighters. Although antimony concentrations were significantly higher in firefighters present during the collapse and in Special Operations Command firefighters, they were well below recommendations for maximum exposure guidelines for workplace antimony exposures (35 µg/g creatinine) or the general population (3 µg/g creatinine; Lauwerys et al 2001) and were less than reported industrial exposures (Kentner et al 1995;Ludersdorf et al 1987).…”

Estimating perchlorate exposure from food and tap water based on US biomonitoring and occurrence data

“…An elimination half-life of approximately 95 hours has been estimated after occupational exposures (Kentner et al, 1995).…”

“…Urinary antimony was not associated with locally elevated soil levels in a study of more than 200 German residents (Gebel et al, 1998). Several investigations of airborne antimony exposures in workers have found urinary levels that are many times higher than those seen in NHANES 1999NHANES -2000NHANES , 2001NHANES -2002NHANES , and 2003NHANES -2004, even when exposure levels were below workplace air standards (Bailly et al, 1991;Iavicoli et al, 2002;Kentner et al, 1995;Liao Y-H et al, 2004;Ludersdorf et al, 1987).…”

Antimony and its inorganic compounds [BAT Value Documentation, 2005]

“…The pulmonary absorption coefficients were determined from the ratio of antimony in the air to antimony in the blood of employees from a battery factory (Kentner et al 1993). In casters exposed to antimony trioxide dusts the absorption coefficient was 1.74; for tank formers, who were exposed to both antimony hydride and antimony trioxide, 1.22 (Kentner et al 1995).…”