Antimony

Antimony Poisoning

What is Antimony?

• alchemists discovered in 1450
• Greek words-"anti" and "monos"
• Sb from Latin word stibium
• "a cosmetic powder"

• Old Testament- black paint for eyes and eyebrows

Tori Hongo and Dima Qu'd

• Nicholas Lemery (1707)

• metalloid-poor conductor of heat and electricity
• expands by cooling

• not essential in plants or animals

Where is it found?

Applications

Types of Antimony

• found in low levels in nature
• air: .000001 mg/m3-.000170mg/m3
• near Antimony industry: >.01 mg/m3
• 60-460 ng/day/person
• soil: <1 ppm
• food: .2-1.1 ppb
• emission: result of human activity, ATO
• coal burning, 6400 tons/year transported
• brakes, tires, street surfaces, and vehicle exhaust
• water:
• .1-.2 micrograms/liter
• more in water than inhaled from the air

• Crystalline Antimony-silver-white solid, metallic luster, crystalline structure; brittle, poor conductor
• Antimony Black-powder form of the metal used to coat brass and lead alloys
• alpha-Antimony (yellow antimony)-SbH3 with air at -90C
• Stibine- SbH3, colorless gas
• Explosive Antimony-electric current makes powder at cathode in SbCl3 solution
• APT: Potassium Antimony Tartrate
• tartar emetic
• highly water soluble
• ATO: Antimony Trioxide
• insoluble

• industrial purposes
• 5 million tons/year
• Finland
• elemental Antimony
• semiconductors, infrared detectors, and diodes
• mixed into other alloys
• metal pipes and castings
• antimony oxide
• fire retardant
• antimony trisulfide
• explosives and pigments
• medicine
• parasitic diseases--schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis
• antimony pill--"extracts and expels" (17c)

Poisoning

• Toxicity depends on solubility and oxidation state
• APT:
• lethal dose(oral intoxication): 1200 mg
• not classified as carcinogenic

Symptoms of Antimony Poisoning

• injection-slower than arsenic poisoning

Acute Effects:

• Inhalation:
• skin-Antimony spots(rash consisting of boils with puss
• eyes-ocular conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
• lungs, cardiovascular system, liver
• Oral:
• gastrointestinal effects

Chronic Effects:

Forensic Analysis

• Inhalation:
• Antimony pneumoconiosis, bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis
• hypertension, altered EKG readings, and heart muscle damage(Adam-Stokes Syndrome)
• increase in spontaneous abortions and disturbances in menstrual cycle
• Oral:
• inflammation in liver and kidneys

Treatment of Antimony Poisoning

• tartar emetic used to induce vomiting
• each acute or chronic symptom is treated for respectively

EKG

40

bpm

Detection

Elimination

• Antimony (III) vs Antimony (V):
• 94 hrs vs 24 hrs
• Antimony Trihydroxide passes through cell membranes-lacks electrical charge

• Hydrogen Sulfide Test
• qualitative analysis based on color change
• after addition of chemicals, black spot will appear on platinum when solution is dropped
• Marsh Test
• Antimony gives a spot and mirror of a black preciptate of silver antimonide(dull, velvet black, no luster
• GunShot Residue Analysis
• carbon-coated adhesive stub or alcohol swab
• dependent on type of gun
• detection in the body:
• 5-20% is absorbed
• binds to RBCs, transported to spleen, liver, bone, skin, and hair
• Samples used
• vomit, stomach and intestinal membranes and contents, liver, brain, skin, hair, urine
• Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry:
• in a graphite furnace
• different elements=different absorption

Works Cited

Autenrieth, Wilhelm. Laboratory Manual for the Detection of Poisons and Powerful Drugs. 6th ed.

Philadelphia: P. Blakiston's Son, 1928. Print.

Dieter, Herman H., Prof. "Antimony in Drinking-water." World Health Organization. 2003. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

Sundar, Shyam, and Jaya Chakravarty. "Antimony Toxicity." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI). Web. 09 March 2016.

"Antimony Compounds." United States Environmental Protection Agency. US Government, Jan. 2000. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

"Antimony History." Antimony History. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

"Antimony in Medical History- An Account of the Medical Uses of Antimony and Its Compounds since Early Times to the

Present" Bulletin of the History of Medicine." Review. Web. 12 March 2016.

"Firearms Tutorial." University of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

"The Health Dangers of Antimony." Dr Groups Natural Health Organic Living Blog. 2013. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.

People v. Torres. Google Scholar 790-802. California Court of Appeals. First Dist., Div. Two. 12 Apr. 1948. Web.

"Water Treatment Solutions." Antimony (Sb). Web. 12 March 2016.

Thank You!

Fictional Forensic Case

Real Forensic Case

• Ripper Street Season 1
• Six months after the final murder of Jack the Ripper in London in 1888
• Detectives- Inspector Edmund Reid and Sergeant Bennett Drake
• Forensic Pathologist- Captain Jackson
• violent illness...return of Cholera???
• first victim dies in the middle of the street
• autopsy and biopsy do not suggest evidence of Cholera
• Jackson discovers Antimony in the flour, and it affected a lot of the locals in Whitechapel, London
• Mr. Claxton, owner of the Gable Mill made Antimony and Ergot bread mixture
• the murders are avenged by Reid with Antimony injection

• Mozart 1791
• People v. Torres California 1948
• night club
• Torres (manager), Coloretti and Silvers (waiters), and Ruby (bartender)
• Torres not convicted
• Antimony and Potassium Tartrate in scotch and soda and cognac drinks
• Victims: Noel De Selva and three orchestra members
• felt ill after a few minutes
• worker Cadena turned them in with bottle of antimony and potassium tartrate
• bottle analyzed by chemist and toxicologist