Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of Human Health Risk Associated with High Groundwater Fluoride Intake in Southern Districts of Punjab, India

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Exposure and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Groundwater is the major source of fluoride toxicity in humans. The excess intake of fluoride causes serious health hazards in humans. This study aimed to investigate the groundwater fluoride contents and the associated health risks in residents of southern districts of Punjab, India. A total of 76 representative groundwater samples were collected across 14 districts of the Malwa region, Punjab and then analysed for chemical parameters. Results indicated fluoride contents in the range of 0.60–5.07 mg L−1. The majority of sites showed higher contents of fluoride in groundwater than the permissible limit (1.0 mg L−1) as prescribed by World Health Organization. The values of chronic daily intake (CDI) and Hazard Quotient (HQFluoride) suggested the high risk of non-carcinogenic health hazards in local residents due to excessive consumption of fluoride-rich groundwater. The HQFluoride was estimated to be in the ranges of 0.29–2.41 (adult) and 0.67–5.63 (children) for all sampling locations, suggesting significantly higher risk than the permissible limits (> 1). On the basis of results, the area can be categorized as a high-risk zone for fluoride-related problems and needs serious attention in order to ensure the health safety of local residents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acharyya SK, Chakraborty P, Lahiri S, Raymahashay BC, Guha S, Bhowmik A (1999) Arsenic poisoning in the Ganges delta. Nature 401:545–546

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Amini M, Mueller K, Abbaspour KC, Rosenberg T, Afyuni M, Moller KN, Sarr M, Johnson CA (2008) Statistical modelling of global geogenic fluoride contamination in groundwaters. Environ Sci Technol 42:3662–3668

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aoba T, Fejerskov O (2002) Dental fluorosis: chemistry and biology. Crit Rev Oral Biol Medic 13(2):155–170

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • APHA-AWWA-WPCF (1994). Satndard methods for the examoination of water and wastewater (15th ed). American Public Health Association, Washingaton DC

  • Asante-Duah Kofi (2002) Public health risk assessment for human exposure to chemicals (Environmental pollution). Springer, Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Bassin EB (2001) Association between fluoride in drinking water during growth and development and the incidence of osteosarcoma for children and adolescents, D.M.S. Thesis, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, p. 68–83, 92–100. http://www.F-alert.org/health/cancer/bassin-2001.pdf

  • Brindha K, Elango L (2011) Fluoride in groundwater: causes, implications and mitigation measures. In: Monroy SD (ed) Fluoride properties, applications and environmental management. Nova Science Publishers, Huntington, pp 111–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer ID, De Bruin A, Dirks OB, Hautvast JGAJ (1988) Unsuitability of World Health Organisation guidelines for fluoride concentrations in drinking water in Senegal. Lancet 331(8579):223–225

    Google Scholar 

  • CGWB (2010) Groundwater quality in shallow aquifers of India. Central Ground Water Board, Faridabad, p 64

    Google Scholar 

  • Chae GT, Yun ST, Mayer B, Kim KH, Kim SY, Kwon JS, Koh YK (2007) Fluorine geochemistry in bedrock groundwater of South Korea. Sci Tot Environ 385(1):272–283

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi AL, Sun G, Zhang Y, Grandjean P (2012) Developmental fluoride neurotoxicity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Environ Health Perspect 120(10):1362–1368

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dissanayake CB (1991) The fluoride problem in the groundwater of Sri Lanka environmental management and health. Int J Environ Stud 38:137–156

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freni SC (1994) Exposure to high fluoride concentrations in drinking water is associated with decreased birth rates. J Toxicol Environ Health 42(1):109–121

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Genxu W, Guodong C (2001) Fluoride distribution in water and the governing factors of environment in arid north-west China. J Arid Environ 49:601–614

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert N (2012) Water under pressure. Nature 483:256–257

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gleeson T, Wada Y, Bierkens MF, van Beek LP (2012) Water balance of global aquifers revealed by groundwater footprint. Nature 488(7410):197–200

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta A (2011) Tropical geomorphology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta MK, Singh V, Rajwanshi P (1999) Groundwater quality assessment of Tehsil Kheragarh, Agra (India) with special reference to fluoride. Environ Monit Assess 59:275–285

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim M, Asimrasheed M, Sumkalatha M, Prabhakar P (2011) Effects of fluoride contents in ground water: a review. Int J Pharma Appl 2(2):128–134

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar M, Kumari K, Singh UK, Ramanathan AL (2009) Hydrogeochemical processes in the groundwater environment of Muktsar, Punjab: conventional graphical and multivariate statistical approach. Environ Geol 57:873–884

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu Y, Sun ZR, Wu LN, Wang X, Lu W, Liu SS (2000) Effect of high-fluoride water on intelligence in children. Fluoride 33(2):74–78

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maliyekkal SM, Sharma AK, Philip L (2006) Manganese-oxide-coated alumina: a promising sorbent for defluoridation of water. Wat Res 40(19):3497–3506

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meybeck M (2002) Riverine quality at the Anthropocene: propositions for global space and time analysis, illustrated by the Seine River. Aquat Sci 64:376–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz-Perez D, Rodriguez-Martinez M, Martinez F, Borja-Aburto VH, Castelo J, Grimaldo JI, de la Cruz E, Carrizales L, Diaz-Barriga F (2003) Fluoride-induced disruption of reproductive hormones in men. Environ Res 93(1):20–30

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pillai KS, Stanley VA (2002) Implications of fluoride—an endless uncertainty. J Environ Biol 23:81–87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao NCR (2003) Fluoride and environment—A Review. In: Bunch MJV, Suresh M and Kumaran TV (eds) Proceedings of Third International Conference on Environment and Health, York University, Chennai, India

  • Shaji E, Bindu JV, Thamb DS (2007) High fluoride in groundwater of Palghat District. Kerala Curr Sci 92(2):240

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma C, Mahajan A, Garg UK (2014) Fluoride and nitrate in groundwater of south-western Punjab, India—occurrence, distribution and statistical analysis. Desalin Wat Treat 57:3928–3939

    Google Scholar 

  • Shivashankara AR, Shankara YS, Rao SH, Bhat PG (2000) A clinical and biochemical study of chronic fluoride toxicity in children of Kheru Thanda of Gulbarga district, Karnataka, India. Fluoride 33(2):66–73

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh PP, Barjatiya MK, Dhing S, Bhatnagar R, Kothari S, Dhar V (2001) Evidence suggesting that high intake of fluoride provokes nephrolithiasis in tribal populations. Urol Res 29(4):238–244

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh CK, Shashtri S, Mukherjee S (2011) Integrating multivariate statistical analysis with GIS for geochemical assessment of groundwater quality in Shiwaliks of Punjab, India. Environ Earth Sci 62:1387–1405

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh K, Singh D, Hundal HS, Khurana MPS (2013) An appraisal of groundwater quality for drinking and irrigation purposes in southern part of Bathinda district of Punjab, Northwest India. Environ Earth Sci 70:1841–1851

    Google Scholar 

  • Spittle B, Fergusson D, Bouwer C (1998) Intelligence and fluoride exposure in New Zealand children. Fluoride 31:S13–S13

    Google Scholar 

  • Susheela AK (1999) Fluorosis management programme in India. Curr Sci 77(10):1250–1256

    Google Scholar 

  • Susheela AK (2003) Treatise on Fluorosis (2nd Ed.), Fluorosis Res. Rural Dev. Found., Delhi, India, 137 pp

  • Takahashi K (1998) Fluoride-linked down syndrome births and their estimated occurrence due to water fluoridation. Fluoride 31(2):61–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Thapa R, Gupta S, Guin S, Kaur H (2017) Assessment of groundwater potential zones using multi-influencing factor (MIF) and GIS: a case study from Birbhum district. West Bengal App Wat Sci. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-017-0571-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNICEF (1999) States of the art report on the extent offluoride in drinking water and the resulting endemicityin India. Report by Fluorosis and Rural Development Foundation for UNICEF, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (1992) Guidelines for exposure assessment, EPA/600/Z-92/001. Risk Assessment Forum, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (1999) Guidance for performing aggregate exposure and risk assessments. Office of Pesticide Programs, Washington DC

    Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2001) Risk assessment guidance for superfund: process for conducting probabilistic risk assessment (Volume III—Part A, 540-R-502-002)

  • USPHS (United States Public Health Service) (1962). Drinking Water Standards. USPHS, Publications 956, USGPO, Washington DC

  • Vorosmarty CJ, McIntyre PB, Gessner MO, Dudgeon D, Prusevich A, Green P, Glidden S, Bunn SE, Sullivan CA, Reidy Liermann C, Davies PM (2010) Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Nature 467:555–561

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang SX, Wang ZH, Cheng XT, Li J, Sang ZP, Zhang XD, Han LL, Qiao SY, Wu ZM, Wang ZQ (2007) Arsenic and F- exposure in drinking water: children’s IQ and growth in Shanyin County, Shanxi Province. China Environ Health Perspec 115(4):643–647

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (1994) Fluoride and oral health: report on oral health status and fluoride use. WHO; Geneva, p 6–14

  • WHO (1998) Guidelines for drinking water quality, 2nd edn. WHO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2006) Fluoride in drinkingwater. IWA publishing, London, p 144

    Google Scholar 

  • WQAA (Water Quality Assessment Authority) (2008) Ground water quality in Bathinda, Mansa and Patiala districts of Punjab. Water Quality Assessment Authority, Ministry of Water Resources, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • WRED-PID (2013) Dynamic groundwater resources of Punjab state. Water resources and Environment Directorate, Punjab Irrigation Department, Central Ground Water Board North Western Region, Chandigarh. http://wqaa.gov.in/WriteReadData/UserFiles/Documents/BhatindaManPatiala_GWReport.pdf

  • Xiang Q, Liang Y, Chen L, Wang C, Chen B, Chen X, Zhou M (2003) Effect of fluoride in drinking water on children’s intelligence. Fluoride 36(2):84–94

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang K, Liang X (2011) Fluoride in drinking water: effect on liver and kidney function. In: Nriagu Jerome O (ed) Encyclopedia of Environmental Health. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 769–775

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang CY, Cheng MF, Tsai SS, Hung CF (2000) Fluoride in drinking water and cancer mortality in Taiwan. Environ Res 82(3):189–193

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The corresponding author (S. Suthar) is highly thankful to the DST, Govt. of India, New Delhi for providing financial assistance (No. SR/FTP/ES-28/2012) under Fast Track Young Scientist Scheme. The authors are highly thankful to the Doon University administration for providing necessary facilities to conduct this study. The authors also acknowledge the kind support of our Lab staff for their help in analytical and GIS mapping works.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment & Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun, 248001, Uttarakhand, India

    Chetan P. S. Ahada & Surindra Suthar

Authors
  1. Chetan P. S. Ahada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Surindra Suthar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Surindra Suthar.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 14 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahada, C.P.S., Suthar, S. Assessment of Human Health Risk Associated with High Groundwater Fluoride Intake in Southern Districts of Punjab, India. Expo Health 11, 267–275 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-017-0268-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-017-0268-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation