Aluminium fluoride

Aluminium fluoride is an inorganic compound with the formula |AlF3|auto=1. It forms hydrates |AlF3*xH2O. Anhydrous |AlF3 and its hydrates are all colorless solids. Anhydrous |AlF3 is used in the production of aluminium. Several occur as minerals.

Aluminium fluoride is an important additive for the production of aluminium by electrolysis. The observation that aluminium fluoride can bind to and activate heterotrimeric G proteins has proven to be useful for the study of G protein activation in vivo, for the elucidation of three dimensional structures of several GTPases, and for understanding the biochemical mechanism of GTP hydrolysis, including the role of GTPase activating proteins.

Together with zirconium fluoride, aluminium fluoride is an ingredient for the production of fluoroaluminate glasses. It is also used to inhibit fermentation. Like magnesium fluoride it is used as a low index optical thin film, particularly when far UV transparency is required. Its deposition by physical vapor deposition, particularly by evaporation, is favorable.

The reported oral animal lethal dose (LD50) of aluminium fluoride is 100 mg/kg. Repeated or prolonged inhalation exposure may cause asthma, and may have effects on the bone and nervous system, resulting in bone alterations (fluorosis), and nervous system impairment. Many of the neurotoxic effects of fluoride are due to the formation of aluminium fluoride complexes, which mimic the chemical structure of a phosphate and influence the activity of ATP phosphohydrolases and phospholipase D. Only micromolar concentrations of aluminium are needed to form aluminium fluoride. Human exposure to aluminium fluoride can occur in an industrial setting, such as emissions from aluminium reduction processes, or when a person ingests both a fluoride source (e. g., fluoride in drinking water or residue of fluoride based pesticides) and an aluminium source; sources of human exposure to aluminium include drinking water, tea, food residues, infant formula, aluminium containing antacids or medications, deodorants, cosmetics, and glassware. Data on the potential neurotoxic effects of chronic exposure to the aluminium species existing in water are limited.