Inferring the fluoride hydrogeochemistry and effect of consuming fluoride-contaminated drinking water on human health in some endemic areas of Birbhum district, West Bengal

Abstract

This research work is carried out to evaluate fluoride (F) hydrogeochemistry and its effect on the population of two endemic villages of Birbhum district, West Bengal. Fluoride concentration in drinking water varies from 0.33 to 18.08 mg/L. Hydrogeochemical evolution suggests that ion-exchange mechanism is the major controlling factor for releasing F in the groundwater. Most of the groundwater samples are undersaturated with respect to calcite and fluorite. Health survey shows that out of 235 people, 142 people suffer from dental fluorosis. According to fluoride impact severity, almost 80 and 94 % people in an age group of 11-20 and 41-50 suffer from dental and skeletal fluorosis, respectively. Statistically drinking water F has a positive correlation with dental and skeletal fluorosis. Bone mineral density test reveals that 33 and 45 % of the studied population suffer from osteopenic and osteoporosis disease. IQ test also signifies that F has a bearing on the intelligence development of the study area school children. The existence of significant linear relationship (R (2) = 0.77) between drinking water F and urinary F suggests that consumption of F-contaminated drinking water has a major control over urinary F (0.39-20.1 mg/L) excretion.

Effect of fluoridated water on intelligence in 10-12-year-old school children

“…[ 15 ] and Mondal et al . [ 16 ] The present study is in contrast with Broadbent et al . [ 17 ] study results, where there was no apparent difference in IQ because of fluoride exposure.…”

Does fluorosis affect the intelligence profile of children? A cross sectional analysis of school children of district Una, Himachal Pradesh, India

“…8,11,17 Trivedi et al, reported that an elevated fluoride level would affect higher levels of intelligence more vigorously than normal and low intelligence levels. 18 There was contrast reports presenting a statistically significant difference in IQ levels of children belonging to high, medium, and low fluoride areas, by Khan et al and Mondal et al 5,6 The functional and biochemical harm to the nervous system during the prenatal and development periods of infancy and childhood because fluoride can cross the blood brain barrier leading to lack of IQ in children exposed to high levels of fluoride is mainly; however, it is also due to factors involving variation in biological susceptibility, environmental conditions, and measurement errors. 19 Xiang et al, discussed about decreasing IQ with increasing age but reason is still not clear.…”

“…This denotes higher mal occlusion. Intelligence level was clubbed into grade (3)(4)(5) and (1-2) due to very small number in each cell. The comparison between low (3-5) and high (1-2) level of intelligence observed that risk of high fluoride level with relation to poor intelligence grade was insignificant (OR: 1.34; 95%CI: 0.72-2.49) ( Table 2).…”

“…Few researchers from endemic pockets in country have tried to establish association between fluoride levels and IQ among children. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] The fluoride levels in water bodies differ from region to region and are not uniform. And there is paucity of evidence in reference to fluorosis from Himalayan states of country both from national programme and independent research.…”

An integrated approach for evaluation of groundwater quality in Korba district, Chhattisgarh using Geomatic techniques

“…Fordyce et al (2007) reported that high fluoride concentration in the environment might be due to various man made activities such as coal and aluminum industries, use of fertilizer and manufacturing process. Mondal et al (2016) reported -1 fluoride concentration above 1.5 mg l carry an increasing risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis, as well as osteoporosis disease in women. (Min et al, 2002).…”