Antimony and antimony compounds - Evaluation of the carconigenicity and genotoxicity

At request of the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Health Council of the Netherlands evaluates and judges the carcinogenic properties of substances to which workers are occupationally exposed. The evaluation is performed by the Subcommittee on the Classification of Carcinogenic Substances of the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety of the Health Council. In this report, the Committee evaluated antimony and antimony compounds. Antimony compounds are used as flame retardants and as pigments. The antimony trioxide is ‘suspected to be carcinogenic to man’ (category 2). The Committee is of the opinion that the available data for other antimony compounds are insufficient to evaluate the carcinogenic properties (category 3).

Committee

• R.A. Woutersen, Toxicologic Pathologist, TNO Quality of Life, Zeist; Professor of Translational Toxicology, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, chairman
• J. Van Benthem, Genetic Toxicologist, National Health Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven
• P.J. Boogaard, Toxicologist, SHELL International BV, The Hague
• G.J. Mulder, Emeritus Professor of Toxicology, Leiden University, Leiden
• Ms. M.J.M. Nivard, Molecular Biologist and Genetic Toxicologist, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden
• G.M.H. Swaen, Epidemiologist, Dow Benelux NV, Terneuzen
• E.J.J. van Zoelen, Professor of Cell Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen
• G.B. van der Voet, Health Council of the Netherlands, The Hague, scientific secretary