Study of Fluoride Contribution Through Water and Food to Human Population in Fluorosis Endemic Villages of North-Eastern Rajasthan

Abatract: Exposure to fluoride through water and food has adversely affected the human health resulting in dental and skeletal fluorosis. Groundwater with high fluoride occurs in large parts of Africa, China, Middle-East and Southern Asia. Taking into account the contribution of fluoride through drinking water and food, the quantum fluoride exposure of the population in selected fluorosis endemic villages was assessed. Socioeconomic and dietary surveys were also conducted as part of impact assessment studies. Fluoride concentrations in groundwater samples of 10 endemic villages varied from 1.50 to 11.82 mg/L, which was much beyond the WHO permissible limit of 1.5 mg/L. The fluoride content in vegetables and cereals varied between 3.91 to 29.15 µg/g and 0.45 to 5.98 µg/g respectively. Fluoride content in milk samples was generally low and found to vary from 0.37 µg/ml in goat’s milk to 6.85 µg/ml in buffalo’s milk. Prevalence of dental, skeletal fluorosis and non-skeletal manifestations viz. loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, insomnia, polyuria and paralysis, was observed in these villages. Results strongly suggest that ground water in fluorosis endemic areas is a major contributing factor to total fluoride ingestion, either when used for drinking or cooking purposes.