| dc.description.abstract | Aluminium (Al) is silvery, light, malleable and ductile, and the most abundant
metal in the earth’s crust. Al is used primarily for metallurgical purposes, especially
to produce Al-based alloy castings and wrought Al. Al compounds are found in
consumer products such as antacids, astringents, buffered aspirin, food additives
and antiperspirants. Powdered Al metal is often used in explosives and fireworks.
No human data were available on respiratory tract and eye irritation following
acute/single exposure to Al or Al compounds. Despite the wide use of Al, the
small number of reports on effects indicates that Al is not harmful to the skin.
Occupational high-level inhalatory exposure to Al can cause lung disorders
such as impaired lung function and pulmonary fibrosis. In the most relevant repeated
animal inhalation study, rats and guinea pigs were exposed to 0.25, 2.5
or 25 mg/m3 Al chlorohydrate for 6 months. All animals in the two higher dose
groups had multifocal granulomatomous pneumonia and microgranulomas in the
peribronchial lymph nodes. At the lowest dose, these effects were regarded as
minimal. Thus, 0.25 mg/m3 (0.061 mg Al/m3) is probably close to the no-effect
level.
Some field studies suggest that Al induce subclinical neurotoxic effects, but no
exposure-response relationships could be established and co-exposure to other
compounds may have played a role. Al compounds are neurotoxic in orally exposed
animals at high doses. There are no animal inhalation neurotoxicity studies.
Available data indicate that Al is not mutagenic, but that especially the watersoluble
sulphate may cause chromosomal damage. Human and experimental
animal data do not allow firm conclusions on the potential carcinogenicity of Al or
its compounds. Increased cancer mortality rates in workers in the Al production
industry especially for lung and urinary bladder is generally considered to be
caused by co-exposure to carcinogenic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons.
No studies were found on the effects of occupational exposure to Al or Al compounds
on reproductive capacity, pregnancy outcome or postnatal development. In
animals, there are studies in which Al compounds were administered in the diet or
drinking water. Water-soluble Al compounds have induced postnatal development
effects. No effects on prenatal development were reported.
Overall, the data are insufficient to identify a critical effect level except for Al
chlorohydrate for which minimal pulmonary effects were seen in an animal study
at 0.061 mg Al/m3.
Keywords: aluminium, fibrosis, lung function, neurotoxicity, occupational
exposure limit, pulmonary, review, risk assessment, toxicity | sv |
