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Mouthpeices and Aluminium etc.

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Mouthpeices and Aluminium etc.
From: "John Nolan" <J.Nolan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 09:46:59 +0000
Comments: Authenticated sender is <j.nolan@[193.63.70.110]>
Priority: normal
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When you boil your mouthpeice in salt solution in an Aluminium 
saucepan you are in effect setting up an electrical cell (battery). 
The salt solution merely acts as a conductive medium.

The two electrodes are Silver (Ag Normal potential  +0.798 Volts) and
Aluminium (A Normal potential -1.66 Volts). This cell could potentially 
produce voltage of about 2.5 Volts by metallic silver being deposited 
at thepositive electrode and Aluminium being dissolved at the 
negative. For all sorts of reasons it makes a lousy battery and the 
result is that a small amount of Hygrogen (from water) is released 
from the Silver side and any silver there in an Oxidised state 
(tarnish especially the nearly black Sulphide) is reduced to metallic Silver.
Most of this just wipes off but some may be returned to the Silver 
plating.
The Silver is not replaced by Aluminium and there can be no danger 
from this.
A better way is to dump your mouthpeice and any tarnished silver-ware 
you have in a jam-jar containing scrunched up Aluminium foil with 
salty water overnight. This way it is easier to monitor the cleaning 
process and you don't take a saucepan out of circulation.

As for Altzheimer's disease there is some epidemiological (statistical) evidence of 
an association between high Aluminium dietry levels and its 
occurrence. Also a substance called cheloid found in the brains of 
sufferers contains Aluminium!. It is very unlikely however that Aluminium is 
the major cause of the disease. 
It seems wise to avoid exessive Aluminiom intake. Do not cook highly 
acid (fruit, pickle etc) in Aluminium pans. If the pan looks brighter 
after you have cooked something in it don't worry but next time cook 
it in a glased or iron pan.

J.Nolan

The above is not necessarilly the view of the MRC.


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