What are the hazards of antimony to human body

Do you know what antimony is? Antimony is toxic to humans and environmental organisms, and is even suspected to be a carcinogen. Antimony and its compounds have been listed as key pollutants by many countries. Like many chemical elements, it has many hazards to the human body. Its compounds can enter the human body through the respiratory tract, digestive tract or skin, thereby causing antimony poisoning. Since antimony is so bad, what are the hazards of antimony to the human body? Let me introduce it to you below, hoping it can help you. Let's take a look.

Acute poisoning: Antimony can cause acute antimony poisoning through occupational exposure, food intake, and medication. Acute antimony poisoning can cause damage to multiple tissues and organs such as the skin and mucous membranes, heart, liver, lungs, and nervous system, and is clinically manifested by symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, hematuria, hepatomegaly, convulsions, and heart rhythm disorders.

Chronic poisoning: People who work in a low-concentration antimony environment for a long time may suffer from chronic antimony poisoning as the antimony content in their body gradually increases. Chronic toxicity tests on antimony and its compounds have confirmed that antimony irreversibly binds to sulfhydryl groups in cells, thereby interfering with the normal metabolism of sulfhydryl-containing proteins and enzymes, thereby causing damage to organisms, mainly manifested as changes in lung function, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, early pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural adhesions and pneumoconiosis. In addition, the cardiovascular system and kidneys may also be damaged. The researchers reported that chronic exposure to potassium antimony tartrate, a trivalent soluble antimony salt, in drinking water for 90 days caused mild chemical and hematological changes in mice, as well as corresponding structural changes in the thyroid, liver, thymus, spleen, and pituitary gland. When the concentration of antimony reaches 5 mg/L, the blood sugar level of female mice can be significantly reduced.

Prevention of antimony poisoning In order to prevent antimony poisoning, measures can be taken from the following aspects: ① The indications and dosages of medical antimony agents should be strictly controlled. ② Antimony-containing dyes, pesticides, etc. should be properly stored to prevent accidental ingestion. ③ Strengthen popular science education, do not use antimony-containing utensils to hold acidic foods or cook or heat food, and do not use antimony-containing tableware. ④ Personnel working in antimony or antimony product smelting and production factories should take necessary protective measures. ⑤ Personnel working in antimony environments should go to the hospital for regular check-ups.

The above introduces the harm of antimony to the human body. I believe everyone has understood it. I also want to tell you that current research cannot determine whether drinking bottled mineral water or purified water will harm health due to antimony precipitation, but it cannot be exposed to high temperatures or scorching sun. Therefore, we must pay more attention to it in life and take precautions. Only in this way can we avoid antimony harming our bodies.