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EC number: 215-100-1 | CAS number: 1302-42-7
Bioaccumulation: aquatic / sediment
Administrative data
Link to relevant study record(s)
Description of key information
Bioconcentration of aluminium in fish is a function of the water quality (e.g. pH and total organic carbon). . Estimated steady state bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for aluminium were 215 at pH 5.3, 123 at pH 6.1 and 36 at pH 7.2.
Key value for chemical safety assessment
Additional information
When diluted in the aquatic environment, sodium aluminate is hydrolysed rapidly to form insoluble aluminium hydroxide and free sodium ions. Sodium is an essential element for all living organisms. Thus, bioaccumulation in organisms is not relevant for sodium ions.
Bioconcentration of aluminium in fish is a function of the water quality (e.g. pH and total organic carbon). Cleveland et al. (1991) maintained brook trout (Salvelinus fontinal) in water containing 200 µg/L total aluminium at pH values of 5.0, 6.0 and 7.2 for 56 days. Estimated steady state bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for aluminium were 215 at pH 5.3, 123 at pH 6.1 and 36 at pH 7.2, respectively. The estimated time to reach a 90% steady state was 1.5 days at pH 5.3, 4.2 days at pH 6.1 and 1.7 days at pH 7.2. These data demonstrate that the BCFs are inversely related to pH. Elimination during the 28-day depuration phase was more rapid at pH 5.3 than at pH 6.1 or 7.2. The biological half-life of aluminium in brook trout was 0.46 day at pH 5.3, 1.26 day at pH 6.1 and 0.52 day at pH 7.2. The distribution of aluminium accumulation in smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui) investigated by Brumbaugh and Kane (1985) showed that aluminium concentration in tissues of stomach and intestine were similar to those in the whole body. Of the organs analysed, gill filaments had the highest and most variable aluminium concentration. Berg et al. (1985) determined aluminium concentrations in organs under field conditions. In rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at the age of one year, aluminium has been found predominantly in gills. In two years old fish, the aluminium concentration in liver was similar to that in gill The patterns of aluminium accumulation in fish by these studies may explain the elimination mechanisms of aluminium. Additionally, aluminium has been shown (Jagoe et al. 1987) to cause a progression of severe gill damage in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) at low pH. If the gills of fish were damaged during the studies, the capacity of the fish to take up aluminium may have been progressively impaired during the exposure and resulted in decreased survival and growth and a relative lower critical body burden in fish.
Steady state BCF values as high as 14,000 have been reported inAsellus aquaticus after a 20 day exposure to aluminium (Goossenaerts and Grieken, 1988). Similar, a steady state BCF of 19, 000 was reported for the gut tissue of the freshwater snailLymnaea stagnalis by Elangovan et al., (1997). Moreover, high aluminium concentrations were determined in plankton (Buergel, 1983). However, much of the accumulation was due to passive adsorption of aluminium onto the cuticle. Therefore, these BCFs are not representative of the internal concentration of aluminium and overestimate accumulation in these species.
Based on the data available, aluminium is considered to have a low bioaccumulation potential to aquatic organisms under circum neutral conditions. In the acidic aquatic environment, aluminium demonstrates a moderate bioaccumulation potential. The high BCFs observed in aquatic invertebrates and high concentration found in planktons is not representative of the internal concentration of aluminium and overestimate accumulation in these species.
Reference
Jagoe, C.H., et al.(1987) Abnormal gill development in Atlantic salmon (Salmo solar) fry exposed to aluminium at low pH, Ann Soc R Zoo1 Belg 117 375-386
Goossenaerts C. and Grieken R. V. (1988) A microanalytical study of the gills of
aluminium exposed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).International Journal of
Environmental Analysis and Chemistry,34, 227–237.
Elangovan R, et al.(1997) Bioaccumulation of aluminium in the freshwater snailLymnaea stagnalisat neutral pH.Environmental Pollution,96, No. 1, 29–33.
Environmenta Agnecy (2007) Proposed EQS for Water Framework Directive Annex VIII, Substances: aluminium (inorganic monometric), Science Report: SC040038/SR1; SNIFER Report: WFD52 (i); ISBN: 978 -1 -84432 -651 -8, Feb 2007
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