BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTIMONY IN CONTAMINATED GRASSLAND

Highly elevated levels of Sb occurred in grassland soils near the only British Sb smelter. This soil Sb was found largely in immobile forms. Antimony in plant shoots was derived almost exclusively from the atmosphere with little from the soil. Elevated organ concentrations occurred in wild mammalian herbivores but were low compared to their estimated dietary concentrations. In short-term laboratory feeding experiments with Sb2O3, this low accumulation rate was confirmed in mice and voles and although elevated organ concentrations occurred they were not obviously harmful. Thus Sb in these smelter grasslands would seem to have low mobility but at present there is insufficient evidence to be confident in this assessment.