[funboy]

Now it was believed that aluminum could not be absorbed my human digestive systems, but this has been disproven by the discovery of high amounts of aluminum in autopsies on alzheimers(sp?) patients.

Other than the obvious health concern of working directly with aluminum oxides during the production of aluminum, is there anything else (other than CO2)??

Thanks

Chris

[jennielynn_1980]

Is it possible that people are ingesting things that contain aluminum and then absorbing it into their own systems?  I mean in the same sort of way someone could each fish with a high mercury content and be concerned about the health repercussions of ingesting mercury?

[hiphil]

We are exposed to aluminum in many ways in our daily lives, some of these may result in the ingestion of aluminum.
For example:
Drinks cans are made of aluminum. Many drinks contain acids which might dissolve some of the aluminum and the dissolved aluminum can be absorbed into the body.
Many indigestion remedies contain aluminum hydroxide. This reacts with the acid in the stomach to form aluminum chloride which can be absorbed into the body.
Aluminum sulfate is used in water purification to remove colloidal suspended matter. When we drink the water, the aluminum sulfate can be absorbed into the body.

[constant thinker]

I think they coat the inside of aluminum cans with something to prevent any corrosion, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

[Ψ×Ψ]

I think they coat the inside of aluminum cans with something to prevent any corrosion, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

I could be wrong about this...but aluminum doesn't really corrode per se.  About the first hundred nm or so forms a layer of aluminum oxide...

[enahs]

I could be wrong about this...but aluminum doesn't really corrode per se.  About the first hundred nm or so forms a layer of aluminum oxide...

You are correct, it does not “corrode” per say. It is just very reactive, and reacts with air to form the thin and incredibly tuff coating, which is virtually the only stable oxide of aluminum. And maybe in aluminum foil the layer is only nanometers thick, but it can be more. It is the most annoying thing about welding aluminum actually. The oxide has a much higher melting point then the aluminum metal, so you have to scrape off the oxide, or by the time you “melt” the oxide the heat will be to much and destroy what you are welding.


But this coating can be damaged, and food is contained all the time in thin layers of aluminum foil, it is inevitable that people digest it (entire pieces of foil, coating and all). Also with aluminum cook wear, scraping of it with utensils could expose and put aluminum in the food. It is non toxic to human, with limits of course.

[Ψ×Ψ]

i was going with "a hundred nm or so" because that's the thickness to consider with solar cell fabrication

[constant thinker]

I stand corrected then, and I forgot all about properties like what was mentioned.

[jennielynn_1980]

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/water-eau/drink-potab/aluminum-aluminium_e.html

Here's a good site that reviews the health effects of aluminum.  Hope it helps