Drinking water containing aluminum

Dermal Effects. No studies were located regarding dermal effects of various forms of aluminum following intermediate- or chronic-duration exposure in humans. Skin rashes were common symptoms reported by 48 people in England who consumed drinking water containing unknown levels of aluminum sulfate for approximately 5 days (Ward 1989). The water also contained elevated levels of copper and lead. For more information on this study, see Gastrointestinal Effects, above. 

Fluoride binds Al + strongly, and at the 1 ppm level where it is added to acidic drinking water, most aluminum appears as AIF2+ and as neutral AIF3. " In mixed complexes of Al +, ADP, and F , the ternary complex appears with the frequency expected statistically on the basis of binary complex stabilities." Contrary to a common misconception, when bound to proteins (such as G-proteins), fluoride complexes of Al + do not contain a tetrahedral, four-coordinate metal ion but hexacoordinate Al + with six donor atoms. " ... 

Children may be exposed to high levels of aluminum in drinking water. Brain and bone disease have been seen in children with kidney disease. Bone disease has also been seen in children taking some medicines containing aluminum. Animals exposed to aluminum appeared weaker and less active in their cages, and some movements appeared less coordinated than animals not exposed to aluminum. In addition, aluminum also made some animals unusually sensitive to high temperature. These effects are similar to those seen in adults. It does not appear that children are more sensitive than adults. 

Tumquest EM, Hallenbeck WH. 1991. Blood aluminum levels as a function of aluminum intake from drinking water. Bull Environ Contain Toxicol 46 554-560. 

Fluoride-liberating chemicals are used in some automobile wheel cleaners, glass etching solutions, insecticides, rodenticides, aluminum production, vitamins or dietary supplements, and products to prevent dental caries. Most toothpaste contains up to 5 mg fluoride per teaspoon. Fluoride is commonly added to community drinking water. It is also found in hydrofluoric acid (see p 221), which is used for etching glass and cleaning silicon chip products. Soluble fluoride salts are rapidly absorbed and are more acutely toxic (Table 11-25). 

Tchomgui-Kamga, E., Alonzo, V, Nanseu-Njiki, C.P., Audebrand, N., Ngameni, E. Darchen, A. (2010) Preparation and characterization of charcoals that contain dispersed aluminum oxide as adsorbents for removal of fluoride from drinking water. Carbon, 48, 333-343. 

In addition to naturally occurring aluminum, we are exposed to additional cduminum in the form of antacids, cosmetics, beverage containers, drinking water [because of the use of Al2(S04)3 during purification procedures], plants and emimcils (aluminum is found in plants and animals in proportion to the amount of tdumi-num available in their environment). 

Induced flocculation is important industrially in the purification of drinking water and for wastewater treatment. Suspended particles in water are often too tiny to be filtered out of the water directly, so to solve this problem flocculation agents can be added to the water. Flocculation agents often contain multivalent charged ions (alum, ferric sulfate, or aluminum chlorohydrate, for example) or charged polymers, and they induce aggregation of suspended particles into floes by electrostatic screening. 

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