Section 1 - CHEMICAL PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

PRODUCT NAME

LEAD ANTIMONATE

NFPA

PRODUCT USE

Used as pigment in oil painting, staining glass, crockery and porcelain. Regeant

SYNONYMS

Pb3(SbO4)2, "lead antimony (V)", "lead antimony (V)", "antimony of lead", "lead
orthoantimonate", NaplesYyellow, "antimony yellow pigment"

Section 2 - HAZARDS IDENTIFICATION

CANADIAN WHMIS SYMBOLS

EMERGENCY OVERVIEW

RISK

Danger of cumulative effects.
May cause harm to the unborn child.
Possible risk of impaired fertility.
Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through
inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.
Harmful by inhalation and if swallowed.
Very toxic to aquatic organisms, may cause long- term adverse effects in the
aquatic environment.

POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS

ACUTE HEALTH EFFECTS

SWALLOWED

  Accidental ingestion of the material may be harmful; animal experiments indicate that ingestion of less than 150 gram may be fatal or may produce serious damage to the health of the individual.  Antimony poisoning causes similar symptoms to arsenic poisoning although vomiting is more prominent. There may be changes in the rhythm of the heart beat. The insoluble salts are less dangerous.  

EYE

  Although the material is not thought to be an irritant, direct contact with the eye may cause transient discomfort characterized by tearing or conjunctival redness (as with windburn). Slight abrasive damage may also result. The material may produce foreign body irritation in certain individuals.  

SKIN

  Skin contact with the material may damage the health of the individual; systemic effects may result following absorption.  There is some evidence to suggest that this material can cause inflammation of the skin on contact in some persons.  Skin contact with antimony compounds may result in redness and severe irritation with the formation of itchy papules, pustules, skin lesions/ small septic blisters (antimony spots) within a few hours.  Rhinitis may also result from dermal contact.  Open cuts, abraded or irritated skin should not be exposed to this material.  Entry into the blood-stream, through, for example, cuts, abrasions or lesions, may produce systemic injury with harmful effects. Examine the skin prior to the use of the material and ensure that any external damage is suitably protected.  

INHALED

  Inhalation of dusts, generated by the material, during the course of normalhandling, may be harmful.  The material is not thought to produce respiratory irritation (as classified using animal models). Nevertheless inhalation of dusts, or fume, especially for prolonged periods, may produce respiratory discomfort and occasionally, distress.  Inhalation of antimony can cause breathing difficulties and gastrointestinal upset including sore throat, shallow breathing, dizziness, weight loss, gum bleeds and anemia. Lung swelling and congestion can occur. Damage can happen to the heart, liver and kidneys,  with heart failure causing death.  

CHRONIC HEALTH EFFECTS

  Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.  Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed.  This material can cause serious damage if one is exposed to it for long periods. It can be assumed that it contains a substance which can produce severe defects. This has been demonstrated via both short- and long-term experimentation.  Ample evidence exists that developmental disorders are directlycaused by human exposure to the material.  Ample evidence from experiments exists that there is a suspicionthis material directly reduces fertility.  There has been some concern that this material can cause cancer or mutations but there is not enough data to make an assessment.  Long term exposure to high dust concentrations may cause changes in lung function i.e. pneumoconiosis; caused by particles less than 0.5 micron penetrating and remaining in the lung. Prime symptom is breathlessness; lung shadows show on X-ray.  Repeated or prolonged exposure to antimony and its compounds may produce inflammation of the mouth cavity, dry throat, metallic taste, gum infection, perforation of the nasal septum and throat, laryngitis, headache, difficulty breathing, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia, weight loss, tightness and pain in the chest, sleeplessness, muscular pain and weakness, dizziness, pharyngitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. Degenerative changes of the liver and kidney may occur. Chronic exposure to antimony compounds may result in itchiness, spots and pus blisters around sweat glands, Workers exposed to antimony can develop obstructive lung disease. Antimony crosses the placenta and is excreted in breast milk. There may be an increased incidence of spontaneous late abortions, premature births, and gynecological problems among female antimony smelter workers. Antimony may be associated with an increased incidence of cancers of the lung and chest.  Lead, in large amounts, can affect the blood, nervous system, heart, glands, immune system and digestive system. Anemia may occur. If untreated muscles may become paralyzed, and there may be brain damage. Symptoms include joint and muscle pain, weakness in the back of the forearm and wrist and in the shin muscles, headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, vomiting, blue line on gums, sleep disturbance and a metallic taste in the mouth. The pressure in the brain may increase with high doses,  and cause brain damage, coma, and death. Early signs include loss of appetite and weight, constipation, tiredness and irritability, headache, weakness. Later there may be vomiting,  nervousness, and muscle pains in the arms and legs. Serious cases cause severe vomiting, inco-ordination, stupor, permanent eye damage, high blood pressure, multiple nerve disorders of the head resulting in paralysis and loss of reflexes, delirium, convulsions and coma. The kidneys may become irreversibly damaged, and the nervous system may become affected causing mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and jerks and seizures.  Lead can cross the placenta, and cause miscarriage, stillbirths and birth defects. Exposure before birth can cause mental retardation, behavioral disorders and infant death. Lead can also cause reduced sex drive, impotence, sterility and damage the sperm of males, increasing the potential for birth defects. Periods in women can also be affected.