INDIA: ‘10% of groundwater samples contain fluoride beyond permissible limit’

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INDIA: ‘10% of groundwater samples contain fluoride beyond permissible limit’

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‘10% of groundwater samples contain fluoride beyond permissible limit’

Millenium News - May 18, 2023

BY SOUMITRA NANDI

Kolkata: A study by the School of Environmental Studies of Jadavpur University to ascertain spatial distribution of fluoride in groundwater with respect to hydro-geochemical characteristics and associated probabilistic health risk in Baruipur block in South 24-Parganas district of Bengal has found that 10 per cent of groundwater samples have crossed the permissible limit of fluoride. The research team led has also delineated mitigation strategies in its report.

Dhapdhapi II Gram-Panchayat has been identified as the worst endemic zone with 43.7 per cent of the groundwater samples identified with over permissible fluoride limit of 1,5 mg /L in drinking water. A strong correlation was found among sodium and chlorine which further suggested that groundwater is highly saline in nature.

The study assumes significance in the backdrop of a report by the state Public Health Engineering Department stating , 2.26 lakhs people are affected by fluoride toxicity in 43 blocks consisting of the seven districts (Birbhum, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda, Purulia, Bankura and South 24-Parganas districts).

Fluoride concentration in drinking water, if it crosses the limit causes human health hazards such as dental and skeletal flurosis. Approximately, 61 million people are suffering from fluoride toxicity caused by groundwater in 230 districts from 20 states of India.

In the study, the rock/ mineral-water interaction and ionic-interaction between weathering of silicate mineral and groundwater were found the main significant factor for fluoride leaching into the groundwater aquifer, said the first author of the study Ayan De. The silicate dissolution dominates carbonate dissolution which influences the groundwater chemistry. The groundwater in this zone was found to be oversaturated and precipitated with calcite, fluorite and dolomite and under-saturated with gypsum, anhydrite and halite. Muscovite is observed as the major possible source of groundwater fluoride contamination in the studied area.

“The mitigation strategies like installation of fluoride removal plants, treatment of surface water, boring of deep tube-wells and rainwater harvesting are needed to supply safe water used for cooking and drinking purposes in the studied area, Tarit Roy Chowdhury of School of Environmental Studies, JU who led the study said.

The study has recommended awareness campaign through frequent medical camps and administrative involvements for ensuring better health of the inhabitants. The research findings have been published in the highly reputed Elsevier journal “Science of the Total Environment’.

Fluorine is an abundant trace element in the natural environmental condition and it generally occurs in the form of fluoride in groundwater that is used for household, industrial and irrigational purposes by approximately one-third of the world’s populace.

According to WHO report, about 80 per cent of the waterborne diseases enter from the contaminated water source, where fluoride contaminated water contributes to 65 per cent for human diseases.

SOURCE:
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/10 ... mit-519150
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