Someone said AlHO4 was a toxic alkaline base...?

Question

I was doing the electrolysis on water and these dots showed up where the oxygen was forming, on the aluminum. Someone said it was AlHO4, a toxic alkaline base. Help! Am I going to be okay? I didn't touch it or anything.

Do you know what it is, first poster? I don't think I did, but I might've during the begining of the experiment.

Thank you all so much.

Answer 1

if you didn't touch it or inhale it you should be fine.

Answer 2

Who told you this? Certainly there are (unverified) claims that excessive consumption of aluminium is a cause of Alzheimer's disease, but unless you've forgotten a few key experimental conditions, you're OK (see below).

1) What the heck is AlHO4 ? Even while trying out the obvious permutations of sub and superscripts, a real formula doesn't work out.

2) Aluminum oxide Al2O3 is the most obvious (to me) product here (bare aluminum passivates in the presence of oxygen). Its white and pretty much unreactive.

3) Aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3 is a possibility also. But even assuming that you took out the electrode and stuck in your mouth and scrapped off the deposits with your teeth, this compound (pharmacologically also known as Alu-Cap or Aludrox) is basically an antacid (Di-Gel®, Riopan®, Co-Magaldrox®, Maalox Plus®, Maalox®, Mylanta®, Tempo® Tablets, etc.)

4) Aluminates or salts of the anion Al(OH)4- could theoretically be formed in the presence of strong alkalines (like you'd notice as your skin turned to soap...).

Answer 3

The bubbles you see do not contain Al. They are simply the hydrogen or oxygen gas forming from the splitting of water molecules. They are completely normal and are present in all the air we breathe. You will be fine.

(I don't know what the people before me were talking about, you can't make Al into a gas unless under very abnormal conditions)

Answer 4

everything is toxic in the correct dose. In your case though, it will take an awful lot of AlOH4 to kill you. If you get some on your skin just rinse it off with some water or if you're really worried about it you could grab a quick, cool shower. I wouldn't worry about inhaling it in small amounts either. The one thing to be concerned about it is inhaling the byproducts of reactions with AlHO4... no specific threats, but it all depends on what you're working with.

Keep Alert.

cheers,

Answer 5

It is not that toxic, It is a weak base that you would need to have on your skin for long periods of time for any harm to come