Alumina-related pulmonary disease.

A review of experimental studies suggests that the catalytically active low temperature transitional forms of alumina produces irreversible fibronodular change only when administered by intratracheal insufflation. Other aluminas not catalytically active but also broadly identified as "gamma" for different reasons also appear capable of inducing pulmonary fibrosis in the same model. Under conditions of human exposure, occupational exposure to a broad range of aluminas indicates--at most--minimal pulmonary nodular response.