Fluorides in groundwater and its impact on health.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring toxic mineral present in drinking water and causes yellowing of teeth, tooth problems etc. Fluorspar, Cryolite and Fluorapatite are the naturally occurring minerals, from which fluoride finds its path to groundwater through infiltration. In the present study two groundwater samples, Station I and Station II at Hyderabad megacity, the capital of Andhra Pradesh were investigated for one year from January 2001 to December 2001. The average fluoride values were 1.37 mg/l at Station I and 0.91 mg/l at Station II. The permissible limit given by BIS (1983) 0.6-1.2 mg/l and WHO (1984) 1.5 mg/l for fluoride in drinking water. The groundwaters at Station I exceeded the limit while at Station II it was within the limits. The study indicated that fluoride content of 0.5 mg/l is sufficient to cause yellowing of teeth and dental problems.
Shailaja
K
K
Department of Botany, Limnology Laboratory, Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad 500 195, India. k_shailaja2001@yahoo.com
Johnson
Mary Esther Cynthia
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014075:Tooth Discoloration / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D005459:Fluorides