Al
Dissolved in water as Al3+, Al(OH)4- , particulate aluminum.
High aluminum intake is associated with vitamin deficiencies, nerve damage and cancer.[i] People with kidney damage are particularly susceptible to aluminum toxicity.[ii]
Dissolved Al3+ is toxic to plants as it affects roots and prevents nutrient intake.[iii] In acidic waters (pH 5.0-5.5), aluminum is toxic to fish at 0.1 mg/L.[iv] Dissolved aluminum interferes with fish gill functions and can cause fish to lose electrolytes.[v]
Freshwater – Aquatic Organisms (Total Recoverable; pH 6.5-9.0)
Saltwater– Aquatic Organisms
Human Health for the consumption of
Acute (µg/L)
Chronic (µg/L)
Water + Organism (µg/L)
Organism Only (µg/L)
750
87
na
Aluminum is present in many soils and minerals and is generally present in ground and surface water at low levels.[vii] Acid rain can dissolve aluminum in soils and transport it into water bodies in a dissolved state.[viii]
Aluminum is mined from bauxite ore.[ix] Australia, Guinea, Brazil, Jamaica, and the former U.S.S.R. are major bauxite producers, while the U.S. produces only one percent of the aluminum it uses.[x] Secondary production from aluminum scrap is popular due to the high cost and energy input required in refining aluminum ore.[xi] The primary uses of aluminum include auto parts, beverage cans, home construction and aluminum foil.[xii] Aluminum compounds are added to sewage to facilitate phosphate removal and as part of the paper production process as well.[xiii]
Aquip The StormwateRx Aquip® industrial filtration system uses an innovative enhanced sand filtration process to effectively remove soluble and insoluble aluminum and other metals as well as oils, suspended solids, organics and nutrients from industrial stormwater runoff.
Purus The Purus™ Stormwater Polishing System (previously known as the AquiPlus) provides the most advanced level of stormwater treatment, and is designed for challenging stormwater conditions or targeted pollutant removal.
Washington Iron Works Washington Iron Works, is a leader in the Southern California architectural steel fabrication business. It installed a state-of-the-art industrial Aquip stormwater reclamation system from StormwateRx and achieved excellent results removing sediment, oil, and metals like aluminum and iron that could impair waterways of the Los Angeles drainage basin.
JT Marine, Inc JT Marine, Inc. runs a 1200-ton drydock and boat maintenance and repair facility on the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington. It installed a portable, self-contained Aquip® 50SBI filtration system for pre-treatment of hydroblast water, washwater and industrial stormwater. Using the system they have successfully removed aluminum, copper, iron and other pollutants to meet City of Vancouver wastewater pretreatment standards.
[i] Lenntech, Aluminum (Al) and water, http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/water/aluminium/aluminum-and-water.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).
[ii] Lenntech, supra.
[iii] Lenntech, supra.
[iv] Lenntech, supra.
[v] Lenntech, supra.
[vi] U.S. EPA, National Recommended Water Quality Criteria, http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/wqctable/index.html#U (last visited July 7, 2010).
[vii] Lenntech, supra.
[viii] Lenntech, supra.
[ix] Univ. of Illinois, Primary Metals – Aluminum Smelting & Refining, http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/manuals/primmetals/chapter4.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).
[x] Metals Advisor – Bauxite Mining, http://www.energysolutionscenter.org/heattreat/metalsadvisor/aluminum/process_descriptions/bauxite_mining.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).
[xi] Univ. of Illinois, Primary Metals – Aluminum Smelting & Refining, http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/manuals/primmetals/chapter4.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).
[xii] Univ. of Illinois, Primary Metals – Aluminum Smelting & Refining, http://www.istc.illinois.edu/info/library_docs/manuals/primmetals/chapter4.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).
[xiii] Lenntech, Aluminum (Al) and water, http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/water/aluminium/aluminum-and-water.htm (last visited Aug. 12, 2010).