Aluminium is one of the most widely used metals and also one of the most frequently found compounds in the earth's crust. Due to these facts, aluminium is commonly known as an innocent compound. But still, when one is exposed to high concentrations, it can cause health problems. The water-soluble form of aluminium causes the harmful effects, these particles are called ions. They are usually found in a solution of aluminium in combination with other ions, for instance as aluminium chloride.

The uptake of aluminium can take place through food, through breathing and by skin contact. Long lasting uptakes of significant concentrations of aluminium can lead to serious health effects, such as:

- Damage to the central nervous system
- Dementia
- Loss of memory
- Listlessness
- Severe trembling

Aluminium is a risk in certain working environments, such as mines, where it can be found in water. People that work in factories where aluminium is applied during production processes may endure lung problems when they breathe in aluminium dust. Aluminium can cause problems for kidney patients when it enters the body during kidney dialyses. 

Inhalation of finely divided aluminium and aluminium oxide powder has been reported as a cause of pulmonary fibrosis and lung damage. This effect, know as Shaver's Disease, is complicated by the presence in the inhaled air of silica and oxides of iron. May also be implicated in Alzheimer's disease.