Concentration of aluminum in human tissues : investigations on an occupationally non-exposed population in Southern Bavaria (Germany)

Aim: To evaluate environmental exposure, aluminum (Al) concentrations in human tissues (5 different parts of the brain, lung, kidney, liver and spleen) of the non-occupationally or iatrogenic exposed population were determined.Material and methods: Tissue samples from 140 adults were obtained from autopsies at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Munich. Analysis was performed by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: The highest aluminum concentration was found in the lung (geometric mean 5.55 mg Al/kg wet weight), followed by the liver (0.43 mg Al/kg), the spleen (0.29 mg Al/kg) and the kidney (0.24 mg Al/kg). Al content in the brain averages 0.31 mg Al/kg, but Al is not evenly distributed in the brain. Al concentration is highest in the grey matter of cerebrum (0.34 mg Al/kg) and lowest in the white matter of cerebrum (0.19 mg Al/kg).Conclusion: There is a positive correlation among Al concentration in all tissues (Spearman rank correlations, p < 0.001). Al levels are age-dependent, the concentration in tissues increases with age. Al levels in the lung depend on the living area: males living in rural areas have a higher amount of Al deposited in their lungs. From the macroscopic autopsy findings, liver condition was found to increase the Al content of the other tissues.