Exposure to aluminum is usually not harmful, but exposure to high levels can affect your health. Workers who breathe large amounts of aluminum dusts can have lung problems, such as coughing or abnormal chest X-rays.

What happens when you breathe in aluminum dust?

* Exposure to Aluminum can cause “metal fume fever.” This is a flu-like illness with symptoms of metallic taste in the mouth, headache, fever and chills, aches, chest tightness and cough. The symptoms may be delayed for several hours after exposure and usually last for a day or two.

What are the symptoms of aluminum toxicity?

Symptoms

• Confusion.
• Muscle weakness.
• Bone pain, deformities, and fractures.
• Seizures.
• Speech problems.
• Slow growth—in children.

How much aluminum is toxic to humans?

But even then, aluminum levels generally do not exceed 0.1 mg/L. Several cities have reported concentrations as high as 0.4– 1 mg/L of aluminum in their drinking water. People are exposed to aluminum in some cosmetics, antiperspirants, and pharmaceuticals such as antacids and buffered aspirin.

Is aluminum toxic to humans?

We are living in the 'aluminium age'. Human exposure to aluminium is inevitable and, perhaps, inestimable. Aluminium's free metal cation, Alaq(3+), is highly biologically reactive and biologically available aluminium is non-essential and essentially toxic.

What does aluminum do to your brain?

Aluminum, as a known neurotoxicant, contributes to cognitive dysfunction and may contribute to Alzheimer's disease. The important reason is that aluminum can enter and be deposited in the brain. There have been three routes by which aluminum could enter the brain from systemic circulation or the site of absorption.

Is aluminum a carcinogen?

A carcinogenic effect of aluminum has not been proven to date. It is possible to assess whether critical internal exposure levels are present from aluminum concentrations in blood and urine.

How long does aluminum stay in the body?

Antiperspirants are arguably the most important single contributor to the body burden of aluminium as their use involves applying about 2 g of aluminium to the skin every day. This aluminium contributes towards the body burden until its residue is washed off the skin surface perhaps up to 24 h later.