12. Effect of Fluoride-Contaminated Water on the Living Being and Their Surroundings

Living beings are affected by fluoride (present in soil, water, and air). In the halogen family, fluorine is a naturally abundant element. It has no biological purpose and is exceedingly harmful to humans, animals, and the environment when it is present in large amounts. Fluorine is an extremely reactive element that does not exist in nature in its pure form. It is found as fluoride ion (F⁻), which makes up approximately 0.3 g/kg of the Earth’s crust. Its pollution has a significant negative impact on 200 million people in 29 nations, including India. It is released into the soil naturally by the breakdown of minerals such as apatite, fluorspar, topaz, and mica. It is transferred to crops, vegetables, and fruits during irrigation using fluoride-contaminated water. This bioaccumulation increases the risk to the population already affected by fluoride poisoning since it adds more fluoride to the food chain in addition to the route through drinking water. Emphasis must be placed on educating people about fluorosis and limiting their use of fluoride-contaminated irrigation water. High levels of F⁻ may have a negative impact on human health over time by reducing thyroid function, allowing kidney stones to form, causing bone fractures, skeletal fluorosis, dental fluorosis, and impairment of IQ, especially in young children. In this chapter, we focus on the effects of F⁻ in the living beings through the water.