Fluoride Contamination in Groundwaters of Sonbhadra District
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Fluoride contamination in capacity of aquifer materials (OH– for F–), and the nature of geological formations drained by water and contact groundwaters of Sonbhadra District, time of water with a particular formation. Minerals which Uttar Pradesh, India have the greatest effect on the hydrogeochemistry of fluo- ride are fluorite, apatite, mica, amphiboles, certain clays N. Janardhana Raju1,*, Sangita Dey1 and and villiamite. Fluoride is among the substances for which there are both lower (0.6 mg/l) and upper (1.2 mg/l) Kaushik Das2 limits of concentration in drinking water, with identified 1 Hydrogeology Division, Department of Geology, health effect and benefits for human beings2. Very low Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221 005, India 2Department of Applied Geology, Indian School of Mines, doses of fluoride (<0.6 mg/l) in water promote tooth decay. Dhanbad 826 004, India However, when consumed in higher doses (>1.5 mg/l), it leads to dental fluorosis or mottled enamel and excessively Fluoride (F¯) concentration over and above the per- high concentration (>3.0 mg/l) of fluoride may lead to missible limits (1.5 mg/l) in drinking water leads to skeletal fluorosis. human health hazards, such as dental and skeletal In general, fluoride content in water between 1.5 and fluorosis affecting millions of people in many parts of 2.0 mg/l may lead to dental mottling, which is chara- India. Preliminary investigations indicate that severe cterized initially by opaque white patches on the teeth health disorders have been identified in parts of the and in advanced stages leads to dental fluorosis (teeth Kachnarwa region, which is in the upper Panda river display brown to black staining) followed by pitting of basin, Sonbhadra District, Uttar Pradesh, due to excess intake of fluoride through drinking water.
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