Journal of Environmental Biology

Fluorides in groundwater and its impact on health

K. Shailaja* and Mary Esther Cynthia Johnson

Department of Botany, Limnology Laboratory, Osmania University College for Women, Koti, Hyderabad-500 195, India

(Received: March 01, 2005 ; Revised received: August 10, 2005 ; Accepted: September 14, 2005)

Abstract: 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.

Key words: Fluorides, Groundwater, Yellowing of teeth

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