Like many
elements, fluorine (which generally occurs in nature as fluoride) is beneficial to human health in trace amounts, but can be toxic
in excess. The links between low intakes of fluoride and dental protection are well known;
however, fluoride is a powerful calcium-seeking element and can interfere with
the calcified structure of bones and
teeth in the human body at higher concentrations causing dental or skeletal
fluorosis. One of the main exposure routes is via drinking water and the World
Health Organisation currently sets water quality guidelines for the element. In
Central Europe, groundwater resources that exceed the guideline value of 1.5 mg
l–1 are widespread and effects on health of high fluoride in water have been
reported. The aim of the current project was to develop a geographic
information system (GIS) to aid the identification of areas where high-fluoride
waters and fluorosis may be a problem; hence, where water treatment technologies should be targeted. The
development of the GIS was based upon the collation and digitisation of
existing information relevant to fluoride risk in Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary and
Slovakia assembled for the first time in a readily accessible form. In
addition, geo- chemistry and health studies to examine in more detail the
relationships between high-fluoride drinking waters and health effects in the
population were carried out in Moldova and Ukraine demonstrating dental
fluorosis prevalence rates of 60–90% in adolescents consuming water containing
2–7 mg l–1 fluoride.
Link : http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.565.3969
Link : http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.565.3969
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