Mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and teratogenicity of aluminium

Aluminium and its salts, which are extensively used in the household and in industry, do not constitute a carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic hazard, except, perhaps, in cases of extremely high exposure. The large majority of the experiments performed to assess the carcinogenicity of aluminium in laboratory animals gave negative results or even suggested some antitumor activity. Moreover, epidemiological studies have not provided clear evidence of a carcinogenic hazard of aluminium to man, and short-term tests made in vitro and in vivo to demonstrate mutagenic activity of Al were negative except for some experiments in plants. The embryotoxic properties suggested by the studies on birds and mammals could result from the influence of Al on phosphate and calcium metabolism or from interference with the polymerization of microtubules.