Human activities such as mining, smelting, fuel combustion, and sewage sludge incineration lead to water, soil, and air pollution by heavy metals, which disrupts ecosystem services and poses environmental and health risks (1). In China, more than 10 million hectares of land are at risk of pollution by heavy metals (2), including antimony. A component of glass ceramics, pigments, metal alloys, ammunition, and batteries, antimony is toxic and carcinogenic in its trivalent form (3, 4). In 2020, China produced 80,000 metric tons of antimony (3), more than any other country. In July 2024, the Hunan Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment emphasized the importance of antimony control (5), but better data collection and management are needed.
Antimony’s environmental impact in China | Science
