WHAT IS ALUMINUM?

Aluminum is discovered by Hans Oersted at

Copenhagen, Denmark in 1825.
The name is derived from the Latin name for Alum,
Alumen meaning bitter salt.
Main group 13 (IIIA, or boron group) of the periodic
table.
Third most abundant element in the earth's crust
(8.1%).
In its purest form the metal is silvery-white,
lightweight metal and very ductile.

Excellent conductor of heat and electricity

Thenards blue test
Abrasive in industries

SOURCES:
Cryolite
-(Sodium hexafluoroaluminate, NaAlF)
Chief source: Bauxite ore

PHARMACEUTICAL USES:

Deodorant

Analgesics

Protectant

Antidiarrheal

Antiseptic

Astringents

Antiperspirant

Adjuvants for

Antacids

vaccines

PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS:
Aluminum Foil

Treatment of burns

Adverse Effects:

Constipation

Toxicity:

Shavers disease

Bayer process- essentially referring to the

refining of bauxite, the most important
aluminum ore, to produce alumina.
Hall-Heroult process- intermediate alumina
must be smelted into metallic aluminum.

Name of
Compounds
Aluminum acetate

Common name/s

Formula

Burows solution
Domeboros
solution

Al(C2H3O2)3

Astringent

Al2(CO3)3

treatment of
hypophosphate
mia in renal
insufficiency
prevent
phosphate
urinary calculi.

Aluminum
carbonate

Uses

Aluminum chloride

Aluminum
hydroxide

Amphojel
Cremalin gel

AlCl3

Astringent
Antiseptic

Al(OH)3

used as an
antacid and
phosphate
binder

Name of
Compounds

Common
name/s

Aluminum
chlorohydrate

Formula

Uses

Al2(OH)5Cl2H2O

deodorant
antiperspirant

Aluminum oxide

Alumina

Al2O3

Treatment of
silicosis

Aluminum
phosphate

Phosphagel

AlPO4

used as a
gastric antacid,
astringent, and
soothing agent.

Aluminum
subacetate

C4H7AlO5

astringent

Aluminum sulfate

Al2(SO4)3

used as an
astringent
solution
antiperspirant

Aluminum Silicate (Al2SiO5)

Kaolin
native

hydrated aluminum silicate

china clay
adsorbent and demulcent in diarrhea

Bentonite
native

hydrated colloidal aluminum silicates

mineral soap, soap clay
suspending agent

Pumice
sodium

potassium aluminum silicates

volcanic origin
dental abrasive, dentifrice

References:
Garrison Sposito. The Environmental chemistry of
Aluminum. pg57-72. December 1, 2008.

Environmental chemistry and Toxicology of Chemistry.

December 2, 2008.

Petrucci, General Chemistry, Principles & Modern

Applications, by Macmillan Publishing Company, Ninth
Edition, pg 891-893.

"Aluminum." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. New

York: Columbia UP, 2009.

"Alumina." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th ed. New

York: Columbia UP, 2009.