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European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 04
April 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 196
Fluorosis: A Serious Problem for Drinking Water and Human Health
SUNITA DEVI
RESEARCH SCHOLAR OF GEOGRAPHY
SINGHANIA UNIVERSITY,PACHERI BARI,
JHUNJHUNU, RAJASTHAN .
DR.SATVIR SINGH
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN GEOGRAPHY
GCW MOUKHRA ,ROHTAK
ABSTRACT -:
Nature has gifted us a lot of both -biotic and abiotic resources that are not only essential to endure all kind of
life on the earth but also lead a contented life. According to Vedas, there are five essential components e.g.
air, water, land, flora and fauna and each of these components are equally important. The air which we
breathe, the soil on which we stand, water is the most helping hand of living organisms, living and non
living things around the environment has saved our lives since time memorial. In nonexistence or ill health
even one of these components, we cannot imagine of human existence. These components are the foremost
driver of the economic and technological development of the nations of the world. These components are
very vital for the sustainable development of human being and support the ecological diversity also.
Keywords-: Biotic, Abiotic, Flora, Fauna, Ecological Diversity.
INTRODUCTION-:
Water is the most precious resource of environment. It is potentially useful for human. It is the most
important necessity for living organisms. It usually composes 55% to 78% of the body. It is a chemical
substance that is made of hydrogen and oxygen and is important for all forms of life. It is found in all three
states - liquid, solid and gaseous states in the nature. During the earlier times , water has been significant for
the development of culture complexity in human society and community. The distribution of water on the
Earth’s surface is extremely uneven. Water covers roughly 71% of the earth’s surface , despite it only
freshwater that is 3% (mostly available as a glacier] is suitable for living organisms including humans and
the remaining 97% resides in the ocean. Of freshwater, 69% is located in glaciers, 30% underground, and
less than 1% resides in lakes, rivers and swamps. Looked at another way, usable quantity of water by man is
only one percent of the water on the Earth’s surface and 99% of the usable quantity is located underground.
In 21st century, the world is facing some major global issues just like poverty, food security, pollution,
population growth, degradation of natural resources and climate change.The European Economic
Community [EEC] has placed the various pollutants into two list –Black list and Grey list according their
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European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 04
April 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 197
dangerousness. This study will mainly address one specific pollution, namely fluoride pollution that occurs
in grey list of EEC at no.07 along with cyanides and less toxic then Arsenic contaminant.
FLUORIDE:
Fluorine (F) is a halogen and a diatomic gas that was first detected by Moissan, a French chemist.
Fluorine is very reactive due to its very pronounced electron affinity of the fluorine atom. It is very capable
of enacting with almost every element it comes in contact with except helium; neon and Argon (insert gases).
It is the most electronegative element of all that is why does not exist in elemental state in nature and in the
gaseous form F2 is a powerful oxidizer.Because of the strong oxidizing power of F2, Fluorine exists naturally
as Fluoride (F-
). It usually forms ionic bonds with most elements of the periodic table. There organic and
inorganic compounds are called fluorides. Thus, any binary compound containing fluorine is known as
fluoride. It is non biodegradable element that is the most phototoxic among pollutants and accumulates in
plants, soil and water from low to high concentration.
Sources of fluoride contamination in drinking water and soil are both natural and anthropogenic activities.
Over all 200 million people worldwide depend on water sources contaminated with high fluoride (Ayoob and
Gupta, 2006).14Marine aerosols, volcanic eruptions, some geothermal activities and fluoride bearing rocks
minerals are mainly natural sources of fluoride in environment. Volcanism plays an important role in
determining fluoride content of the natural waters (Gaciro and Davis, 1993).16 volcanic eruption produces HF
Gas and ash that have content of fluoride. High concentration of fluoride occurs in geothermal sources and
active volcanic belts in the western USA (Vordstorm and Jenne, 1977), Iceland, Taiwan, Tibet, New
Zealand, the Former Soviet Union (Ellis and Mohan, 1977), France, Algeria and Tunisia typically rang
(Travi 1993) and the east African Rift Valley (Ayenew 2008).In Iceland, volcanic eruptions are common and
from the Laki eruption in 1978 fluorosis poisoning in livestock and human being was found .In volcanic
areas risk of fluoride contents in groundwater is very high as volcanic ash is readily soluble. Kenya
groundwater high F concentration is due to volcanic sources [Gaciri and Davis ,1993]
The most common fluoride bearing minerals in the natural environment are fluorite/fluorspar/calcium
fluoride (CaF2), apatite or rock phosphate (Ca3F(PO4)3) an cryolite (Na3ALF6), micas, topaz and amphiboles
and certain clays etc (which occurs in most rocks and sediments. In nature, the largest fluoride reserve is the
rocks containing fluorine rich minerals .these minerals supply fluoride to ground water and soil by
weathering and soil forming processes. Fluorides naturally are a result of the suspension of fluoride
containing rock minerals by water.The major sources of fluoride in the above minerals are fluorspar and
appetite .
IMPORTANCE OF FLUORIDE FOR HUMAN HEALTH:
In our body 96% of fluoride is found in bones and teeth and it is an essential element that prevents
dental carries and is beneficial formation for dental enamel and develop the bones.But it is useful only when
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European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 04
April 2019
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 198
If fluoride is used in a small amount within the permissible small limit, on the other hand if in excessive
amount, there are a number of adverse effect on human health in which fluorosis specially dental fluorosis is
very common. It is very commonly seen in Southern Haryana . As the main source of fluoride in daily life is
drinking water and water consumption is depend upon many factors, including climate and distinctiveness of
target population, so many organizations have decided the optimum level of fluoride in drinking water .The
WHO [2011] guideline value for drinking water remains at 1.5mg /l. In India there is a naturally high
fluoride district that is why; India has 1mg/l fluoride as national standard.
FLUOROSIS : A SERIOUS PROBLEM
Fluorosis is a serious health problem facing the country today. This problem is more critical in our country as
most of the peoples in villages depend on ground water sources for their drinking water. Ground water
sources mainly are well. Hand pump and tube well. High levels of fluoride have been reported in water
resources of southern Haryana the findings emerging from the studies on both tooth and bone will be
significant contributions to negate the belief that fluoride is good for health.
OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of the present paper are listed below:
1. To analyze the spatial occurrence of fluoride in ground water and soil.
2. To indentify the intensity zone of fluoride.
3. To analyze the incidence and intensity of fluorosis in the various age group.
4. To suggest the measures of control the problem.
SAFE DRINKING WATER
A safe drinking water is one that does not harm the consumer even when taken over a prolonged period.
Scientifically, an acceptable and potable water should be free from pathogenic agents and harmful chemical
constituents, pleasant to taste and usable for domestic purpose. The standards for acceptable and potable
water were proposed by American Public Health Association (1976), International Water Supply
Organization (1962) and World Health Organization (1963) for the first time. The public water supply
required careful control of fluoride content. The interaction between rocks and water may explain the
presence of fluoride in groundwater. As a result of chemical weathering, rocks and fluoride content yield
more fluoride to circulating solution which ultimately becomes ground water. Fluoride may occur naturally
in some ground waters due to weathering of rocks.
Research had been conducting at International as well as National level on the fluoride concentration in
ground water and prevalence of fluorosis. Studies on fluoride and fluorosis at International and National
level: Many studies have been carried out regarding to analyze the fluoride content in the underground water
