Excess fluoride in groundwater used for drinking can pose serious health hazards, especially in poor, rural areas of the developing world lacking water treatment. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum fluoride contaminant level of 1.5 mg/L in drinking water [1]. Over 200 million people in lowand middle-income countries currently drink groundwater over that limit [2]. Current field detection of fluoride typically uses HACH kits, with several groups developing smartphone based alternatives [3]. These methods are based on colorimetry. The HACH kit is limiting because appropriate training is required, results are sensitive to competing ion contamination and chlorine, the glassware must be clean, and repetition is needed to ensure reliability [4]. The use of a smartphone for in-field detection of fluoride is promising and takes a strong step towards quick, easy, reliable, and portable fluoride detection.
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