A Quantitative Study by Means of Spectrographic Analysis of Aluminum in Nutrition

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Abstract
Thirty-five aluminum balance studies have been made with three normal boys of preschool age. The ashed food, feces, urine, distilled water and acid-alcohol were analyzed spectrographically for aluminum by comparing their spectra with those produced by solutions of known concentration. Neither the fecal nor the urinary excretion of aluminum bore any relation to the amount of aluminum ingested. Some aluminum was present in all the urines, although the greater proportion of the ingested aluminum appeared in the feces. Fifty per cent of the balances were positive and 50% were negative. Sixty per cent of all of these fell within the ±10% error as determined for the method used in this study. The amount of aluminum retained in the remaining 40% of the balances suggested that aluminum is not an essential constituent of the diets of preschool age children.