Aluminium sulphate

Monitoring data

Administrative data

Endpoint:

monitoring data

Type of information:

other: handbook data

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

other: Reliable with restrictions. Guideline study.

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

review article or handbook

Title:

PRIORITY SUBSTANCES LIST ASSESSMENT REPORT of Aluminium chloride, nitrate and sulphate,

Author:

Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

Year:

2008

Bibliographic source:

Environment Canada Health Canada, p. 28 2008

Materials and methods

Principles of method if other than guideline:

Aluminum was measured in water taken both upstream and downstream of facilities using aluminum salts and releasing aluminum or aluminum salts, but sampling stations were typically not located close enough to sources to allow the local impact of the effluents to be assessed. Mean total aluminum levels generally varied from 0.002 to 2.15 mg/L, with a maximum value of 28.7 mg/L, measured in the Oldman River, 40 km downstream of Lethbridge, Alberta. Total aluminum levels are usually higher in the Prairies, in rivers with high total particulate matter content. Mean extractable aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 0.62 mg/L, and the maximum value of 7.23 mg/L was reached in the Red Deer River, at Drumheller, Alberta. Mean dissolved aluminum concentrations were much lower, ranging from 0.01 to 0.06 mg/L. In surface water, the maximum dissolved aluminum concentration (0.24 mg/L) was measured in the Peace River, Alberta (Germain et al. 2000). Concentrations in downstream locations were not consistently elevated in relation to concentrations in upstream locations, suggesting that the impacts of releases of aluminum salts are mostly local.

GLP compliance:

not specified

Type of measurement:

natural background concentration

Media:

surface water

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Aluminium sulphate

EC Number:

233-135-0

EC Name:

Aluminium sulphate

Cas Number:

10043-01-3

Molecular formula:

Al2(SO4)3

IUPAC Name:

Aluminium sulphate

Details on test material:

- Name of test material -aluminium sulphate

Results and discussion

Concentration

Country:

Canada

Location:

lake and river sites across Canada

Substance or metabolite:

substance

Conc.:

0.05 - 0.47 mg/L

Remarks on result:

other: Mean extractable aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.004 to 0.18 mg/L, with a maximum value of 0.52 mg/L found in a lake in the Abitibi region of Quebec.

Details on results:

Mean total aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 0.47 mg/L, with a maximum value of 10.4 mg/L, measured in British Columbia. Mean extractable aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.004 to 0.18 mg/L, with a maximum value of 0.52 mg/L found in a lake in the Abitibi region of Quebec. Mean dissolved aluminum concentrations varied from 0.01 to 0.08 mg/L and the highest dissolved aluminum value reported was 0.9 mg/L in British Columbia

Any other information on results incl. tables

The Quebec Environment Ministry, now Ministère du Développement Durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs, and Environment Canada examined the toxic potential of effluents generated by 15 municipal wastewater treatment plants in Quebec (Ministère de l’Environnement du Québec and Environment Canada 2001). The plants were considered to represent treatment methods used most commonly in Quebec and serviced over 50% of the province’s population. Whole effluent sampling was conducted twice a year, during summer and winter operating conditions, over the period 1996 to 1999. Total aluminum concentrations in the effluents ranged from below the detection limit (0.002 to 0.1 mg/L) to 3.57 mg/L in summer and up to 4.25 mg/L under winter operating conditions. Concentrations remained at or below 1 mg/L year-round in all but two of the plants; however, 20 out of 45 summer readings and 25 out of 39 winter readings exceeded the maximum interim water quality guideline of 0.156 mg/L for the protection of freshwater life (water pH equal to or greater than 6.4) as recommended by CCME (2003). The study concluded that ammonia nitrogen and surfactants were mainly responsible for the observed effluent toxicity, with pesticides possibly a factor during summer months; however, the presence of aluminum in the effluents at levels above background may also have contributed to some extent. The results suggest that periodic episodes of aluminum toxicity are possible in some receiving waters; however, the nature of the collected data makes concluding on potential risk to the environment difficult. The study was designed to evaluate the toxic potential of whole effluents and did not include consideration of factors such as dilution effects, interactions between constituents in the effluents, and natural background levels of aluminum in the receiving environments. Therefore, while effluent concentrations may have exceeded the recommended water quality guideline, it is uncertain whether these guidelines were also exceeded in the surface waters receiving these effluents. In addition, it is likely that a large fraction of the total aluminum present in the effluents was associated with particulates that would settle out of the water column upon release into surface waters (Germain et al. 2000). This would substantially reduce the potential for adverse impacts to pelagic organisms, although negative impacts to benthic organisms could still occur. These impacts could relate directly to aluminum toxicity or be associated with physical aspects such as blanketing effects and/or the presence of other toxic contaminants.

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Conclusions:

Mean total aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 0.47 mg/L, with a maximum value of 10.4 mg/L, measured in British Columbia. Mean extractable aluminum concentrations ranged from 0.004 to 0.18 mg/L, with a maximum value of 0.52 mg/L found in a lake in the Abitibi region of Quebec. Mean dissolved aluminum concentrations varied from 0.01 to 0.08 mg/L and the highest dissolved aluminum value reported was 0.9 mg/L in British Columbia