antimonium

Antimonium is the Latin name for the chemical element antimony (Sb), a brittle, silvery-white metalloid with a pale lustre. It resides in group 15 of the periodic table and has an atomic number of 51. It occurs naturally in the Earth's crust, mainly as sulfur-containing minerals such as stibnite (Sb2S3). Metallurgical refining yields metallic antimony, which can be alloyed with lead and other metals to improve hardness and strength.

The name antimonium derives from stibnite or stibium; its symbol Sb comes from stibium, the Latin name for antimony. Antimony has several uses: alloys with lead used in batteries, solder, and bearing metals; flame retardants, notably antimony trioxide, in plastics; and various glass and ceramic applications. Antimony compounds are also historically significant in medicine: potassium antimony tartrate, known as tartar emetic, was used as an emetic and in parasitic treatments in the 18th and 19th centuries, but such use has declined because of toxicity.

Safety: antimony and its compounds are toxic if ingested or inhaled in sufficient quantities; exposure can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, and prolonged exposure may cause more serious effects. There is potential for gas-phase antimony compounds to form toxic fumes under high heat.

See also: stibnite, tartar emetic.