title: Assessment of Fluoride Concentration of Soil and Vegetables in Vicinity of Zinc Smelter, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As of late, natural contamination has stimulated as a reaction of mechanical and other human exercises. In India, with the expanding industrialization, numerous unsafe substances are utilized or are discharged amid generation as cleans, exhaust, vapours and gasses. These substances at last are blended in the earth and causes health hazards.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine concentration of fluoride in soils and vegetables grown in the vicinity of Zinc Smelter, Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of vegetables and soil were collected from areas situated at 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 km distance from the zinc smelter, Debari. Three samples of vegetables (i.e. Cabbage, Onion and Tomato) and 3 samples of soil {one sample from the upper layer of soil (i.e. 0 to 20 cm) and one from the deep layer (i.e. 20 - 40 cm)} at each distance were collected. The soil and vegetable samples were sealed in clean polythene bags and transported to the laboratory for analysis. One sample each of water and fertilizer from each distance were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean fluoride concentration in the vegetables grown varied between 0.36 ± 0.69 to 0.71 ± 0.90 ppm. The fluoride concentration in fertilizer and water sample from various distances was found to be in the range of 1.4 - 1.5 ppm and 1.8 - 1.9 ppm respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fluoride content of soil and vegetables was found to be higher in places near to the zinc smelter.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Nagesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Kailash
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asawa
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Mridula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Kushal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Anukriti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Pathology, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Pacific Dental College and Hospital , Debari, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India .
authors.forename: Vivek Vardhan
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: Fluoride pollution; Fluorosis; Industrial area