Four Chinese estuaries, the Jiaojiang, Luanhe, Shuangtaizihe, and Yalujiang were investigated to determine Al geochemistry and inter-relations between Al and nutrients. These estuaries are characterised by low particulate organic carbon and high turbidity, with various tidal regimes. Dissolved Al was determined by fluorescence method after liquid-liquid extraction into n-hexanol. Concentrations of Al in the Luanhe estuary are relatively high (1.5-2.0 μM) and approximately uniform over the salinity range sampled, suggesting the influence of in situ sources/processes. In the Shuangtaizihe estuary, riverine concentrations of Al (1.8-2.2 μM) decrease with higher chlorinity, indicating the predominance of simple dilution by seawater. The Jiaojiang and Yalujiang provide evidence that Al is removed from water column at early stages of estuarine mixing, owing to probably the particle-solution reactions (e.g. flocculation) in the estuary. The Al data are further compared with total suspended matter and nutrients in these estuaries. The data sets indicate that aluminum is not dominantly coupled to the cycle of nutrients.