8
Trace Elements in Abiotic and Biotic Environments
TABLE 2.1
Antimony Contents in Soils, Water, and Air
Environmental Compartment
Range/Mean
Soil (mg/kg)
Light sandy
0.05–1.3
Medium loamy
0.05–2.0
Heavy loamy
0.3–4.0
Organic
0.08–0.6
Water (μg/L)
Rain
0.02–0.14
River
0.005–0.98
Sea, ocean
0.15–0.44
Air (ng/m 3 )
Urban
0.77–55
Spitsbergen
0.002–0.25
Antarctica
0.003
Sources: Data are given for uncontaminated environments
from Kabata-Pendias, A. and Mukherjee, A.B., Trace
Elements from Soil to Human, Springer, Berlin,
Germany, 2007; Reimann, C. and de Caritat, P.,
Chemical Elements in the Envi ronment, Springer,
Berlin, Germany, 1998.
European soils is estimated at 1.04 mg/kg (FOREGS 2005). However, mean contents
of Sb in soils of some countries differ significantly (in mg/kg), for example, China, 3.6;
the United States, 2.4; Slovak Republic, 0.7; and Sweden, 0.25 (Kabata-Pendias and
Mukherjee 2007).
Antimony in soils and sediments is slightly mobile and absorbed by clay and
residual fractions and by hydrous oxides, especially of Al, Fe, and Mn, and at low
pH values (Manaka 2006). Also, the organic matter reveals a capacity to bound Sb;
Sb complexes with humic acid are easily mobile. Because it occurs mainly as sulfide
(SbS) species, Sb is slightly available to plants. In low Fe-content soils, Sb mobility
is increased. In soil Sb 5+ predominates, mainly in the form of Sb(OH) 6
(Koch 1998).
Increased level of arsenic in soils resulted in a lower Sb mobility (Casado et al.
2007). The most soluble Sb in contaminated soils is under the treatment of citric
acid solution (Telford et al. 2008). According to Gal et al. (2007), Sb, even at a high
concentration in soils (up to 1200 mg/kg), is slightly available to earthworms.
Soil contamination with Sb is often reported, mainly for soils at hazardous waste sites
and soils around mining and smelter areas. Soils around various Sb smelters contain
this metal ranging from 109 to 2550 mg/kg (ATSDR 2002a). Top soils around various
industries also contain elevated Sb levels (in mg/kg): Cu smelter, United States; Maury
Island, Washington, 49–204; Au refining, United States, 280 (Flynn et al. 2003). Soils