Marine Life

Aluminium is not expected to be toxic in the natural marine environment due to the high concentrations of clay particles in marine waters and relatively constant pH of approximately 8.2 (WHO 1997). Clay particles tend to bind rapidly with aluminium forming large colloids thus removing aluminium from the water column. At pH 8.2, aluminium would be predominately in the anionic form AlOH₄^-, and would be rapidly removed from marine waters through the formation of polymers and colloids (WHO 1997; Howells et al. 1990).

No water quality guidelines for aluminium for marine life will be developed at this time.