[Blood aluminum levels in workers in the aluminum industry]

Aluminium levels in the blood plasma were determined in a group of workers in an aluminium plant. The aluminium concentration in the plasma of potroom workers was 5 to 15 micrograms/l whereas workers in the cast-house showed values of approximately 5 micrograms/l. In a healthy non-occupationally exposed control population, normal values of less than 1 to 3 micrograms/l were obtained. Considerably higher values, in the range of 100 to 500 micrograms/l, were found in kidney patients, since they must ingest several grams of aluminium-hydroxides daily to bind phosphates in the intestinal system. The aluminium is, however, only partially removed by dialysis. Occasionally central nervous disturbances, possibly due to aluminium, occur in these patients. However, there is no evidence of any health effects due to the intake of aluminium compounds in workers in the aluminium industry.