Antimony in the environment – the new global puzzle

Recent records in bogs[1] and Arctic polar ice cores[2] show a dramatic increase in antimony in the environment since the Industrial Revolution – probably because it is now being used extensively in industry[3] and for items such as car brake linings[4] and in fire retardants.[5] Air analyses in major cities show very high concentrations of antimony in air particulates,[6] and soil samples near motorways show enrich-ment in antimony.[7] As antimony has no known biological func-tion, there is concern as to the long-term effects on ecosystems and humans from these increased levels. Many basic questions about the environmental chemistry of Sb remain unanswered, in particular, the factors that influence redox transformations in waters and soils and the formation of methylated species by organisms in landfills and sewage.[8–10] Its impact as an environmental contaminant is unclear and its tox