Aluminium in drinking water

A typical calibration graph used to measure the concentration of aluminium in drinking water is shown here. 

Martyn CN, Osmond C, Edwardson JA, et al Geographical relationship between Alzheimer s disease and aluminium in drinking water. Lancet 1 59-62, 1989... 

Aluminium is toxic in patients on chronic hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis and in those taking oral aluminium-containing medications. Aspects of aluminium safety (9) and metabolism (10) have been reviewed. The association between aluminium in drinking water and Alzheimer s disease continues to be discussed and remains controversial (11). 

Flaten TP Geographical associations between aluminium in drinking water and death rates with dementia (including Alzheimer s disease), Parkinson s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Norway. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 12 152-168, 1990... 

C. Brach-Papa, B. Coulomb, J.L. Boudenne, V. Cerda, F. Theraulaz, Spectrofluorimetric determination of aluminium in drinking waters by sequential injection analysis. Anal. Chim. Acta 457 (2002) 311—318. 

Aluminium is the third most abundant element in the earth s crust and is used widely in the manufacture of construction materials, wiring, packaging materials and cookware. The metal and its compounds are used in the paper, glass and textile industries as well as in food additives. Despite the abundance of the metal, its chemical nature effectively excludes it from normal metabolic processes. This is due largely to the low solubility of aluminium silicates, phosphates and oxides that result in the aluminium being chemically unavailable. However, it can cause toxic effects when there are raised concentrations of aluminium in water used for renal dialysis. These effects are not seen when aluminium is at the concentrations usually present in drinking water. There is currently much activity to examine the factors that influence uptake of aluminium from the diet. 

T. P. Flaten, Aluminium as a risk factor in Alzheimers disease, with emphasis in drinking water, Brain Res. Bull., 55 (2001), 187-196. 

Aluminium is one of the most common elements in the Earth s crust it occurs in a large variety of minerals in almost all geological environments. Aluminium from natural sources is therefore often found in raw waters, but only soluble forms of aluminium are likely to reach drinking-water. One of the major potential sources is aluminium salts, which are widely used as coagulants in drinking-water treatment. 

PAR was applied in the determination of Ni in crude oil [30], and steel [93,94]. PAN was used for determining Ni in drinking water [95] and in sewage [96]. Nickel in the presence of Zn and Cu was determined by derivative spectrophotometry [97]. DDTC was used for determining Ni in natural waters [98]. Nickel was determined in iron and aluminium alloys by the derivative spectrophotometry with the use of the cyanide complexes [99]. The thiocyanate complex was applied in determination of Ni by the FIA method [100]. 

Michel P, Commenges D, Dartigues JF, et al Study of the relationship between aluminium concentration in drinking water and risk of Alzheimer s disease, in Alzheimer s Disease Basic Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Therapeutic Strategies. Edited by Iqbal K, McLachlan DRC, Winblad B, et al. New York, Wiley-Interscience, 1991, pp 387-391... 

Rogers MA, Simon DG A preliminary study of dietary aluminium intake and risk of Alzheimer s disease. Age Ageing 28 205-209,1999 Rondeau V, Commenges D, Jacqmin-Gadda H, et al Relation between aluminum concentrations in drinking water and Alzheimer s disease an 8-year follow-up study. Am J Epidemiol 152 59-66, 2000... 

Aluminium is the most widely used element in our daily lives. Some of the sources of aluminium include drinking water, food additives and cooking utensils made of aluminium. High amoxmts of aluminium have been reported to be mixed with mashed tomatoes and yogurt during processing from normal and noncoated aluminium pans as a result of acidity. Aluminium is not essential for life processes, but increased amounts have been linked to various disorders such as microcytic anaemia, bone disturbances, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer s disease (AD) and Parkinson s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and encephalopathy. Smaller studies have demonstrated that aluminium exposure is associated with the impairment of mitochondrial function in vitro. 

Absorbance values at the wavelength corresponding to aluminium are found using different solutions of known aluminium concentrations. A calibration graph is then plotted. If we measure the absorbance in a sample of drinking water, then the concentration of aluminium corresponding to this absorbance can be read from the calibration graph. 

The best management strategy for both aluminium and iron when used in treatment is to ensure that coagulation is optimized to prevent excessive amounts remaining in the drinking-water. 

P. Altmann et al, Disturbance of cerebral funaion in people exposed to drinking water contaminated with aluminium sulphate retrospective study of the Camelford water incident , British Medical Journal, 319 (1999), 807-11 V Murray et al, Cerebral dysfunction in Camelford inappropriate study, inappropriate conclusions , British Medical Journal (13 Dec. 1999), Letters T. 1. Lidsky (Altmann) Study has several methodological shortcomings , ibid. 

Kawachi I, Pearce N. Aluminium in the drinking water—is it safe Aust J Public Health 1991 15(2) 84-7. 

Trace Elements in Medicine 4 178-178,1987 Emard JF, Andre P, Thouez J-P, et al Geographical distribution of Alzheimer s disease cases at birth and the geochemical profile of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean/Quebec, Canada (image project). Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 72 251-264, 1994 Flaten TP Aluminium as a risk factor in Alzheimer s disease, with emphasis on drinking water. Brain Res Bull 55 187-196, 2001... 

Altmann P, Cunningham J, Dhanesha U, et al Disturbance of cerebral function in people exposed to drinking water contaminated with aluminium sulphate retrospective study of the Camelford water incident. BMJ 319 807-811,1999... 

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