Aluminum toxicity susceptibility

Allegations have been made that patients suffering from renal failure are susceptible to aluminum toxicity. Anemia (interference with iron transport), softening of the bones (replacement of calcium phosphate by aluminum phosphate), and a form of senile dementia can result. As well, a link to Alzheimer s disease (also a form of senile dementia) has been proposed, with the brains of dementia patients showing characteristic tangles of nervousness and hot-spots ofunusually high A1 concentration. 

Metal complexation by carboxylates is, on the other hand, an important mechanism to exclude uptake of toxic elements, such as Al3+, in plant species and cultivars adapted to acid mineral soils. The release is restricted to the apical root zones, which are most susceptible to the toxic effects of aluminum (Ma, 2000 Brimecombe et al., 2007). 

A susceptible population will exhibit a different or enhanced response to aluminum than will most persons exposed to the same level of aluminum in the environment. Reasons may include genetic makeup, age, health and nutritional status, and exposure to other toxic substances (e.g., cigarette smoke). These parameters may result in reduced detoxification or excretion of aluminum, or compromised function of target organs affected by aluminum. Populations who are at greater risk due to their unusually high exposure to aluminum are discussed in Section 5.7, Populations With Potentially High Exposure. 

Several animal studies have examined potential age-related differences in the distribution, neurotoxicity, skeletal toxicity, and interactions of aluminum. However, conflicting results have been found and the database is not adequate to assess whether these differences are due to the animal species tested, the aluminum compound used, or the route of exposure. Additionally, there are no studies on the influence of immature renal function on aluminum retention in the body and no studies on the long-term effects of aluminum exposure on skeletal maturation or neurotoxicity. Multiple species studies examining a wide range of effects in immature, mature, and older animals would be useful in assessing the children s susceptibility to the toxicity of aluminum. 

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