Status of industrial fluoride pollution and its diverse adverse health effects in man and domestic animals in India

Abstract

Hydrofluorosis in humans and domestic animals is a worldwide health problem and caused by a prolonged period of fluoride exposure through drinking of fluoride contaminated water. But in recent years, due to rapid industrialization in India, diverse serious health problems among industrial workers and residents and domestic animals living in the industrial areas due to fluoride pollution are on the rise. A number of coal-burning and industrial activities such as power-generating stations, welding operations and the manufacturing or production of steel, iron, aluminum, zinc, phosphorus, chemical fertilizers, bricks, glass, plastic, cement, and hydrofluoric acid are generally discharging fluoride in both gaseous and particulate/dust forms into surrounding environments which create a industrial fluoride pollution and are an important cause of occupational exposure to fluoride in several countries including India. An industrial emitted fluoride contaminates not only surrounding soil, air, and water but also vegetation, crops and many other biotic communities on which man and animals are generally dependants for food. Long- time of inhalation or ingestion of industrial fluoride also causes serious health problems in the forms of industrial and neighborhood fluorosis. In India, whatever research works conducted so far on the chronic industrial fluoride intoxication or poisoning (industrial and neighborhood fluorosis) in man and various species of domestic animals due to a prolonged period of industrial fluoride exposure or pollution (contamination) are critically reviewed in the present communication. Simultaneously, we are also focused the various bio-indicators and bio-markers for chronic industrial fluoride intoxication or pollution.

Bioindicator potential of Ricinus communis to simulated rainfall containing potassium fluoride

“…Fluoride (F) is one of the most phytotoxic contaminants ( Panda, 2015 ). High F concentrations are released into the environment as a result of several anthropogenic activities, including aluminum smelting ( Choubisa & Choubisa, 2016 ), coal burning ( Ding et al, 2013 ) brick manufacturing ( Jha et al, 2008 ), direct application of phosphate fertilizers ( Ramteke et al, 2018 ) and fluoridated water irrigation, which is also a source of diffuse soil fluoride ( Fawell et al, 2006 ). In the atmosphere, F may be released in both gaseous and liquid forms at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 mg L −1 ( Smith & Hodge, 1979 ).…”

Groundwater quality in a semi-arid region of India: Suitability for drinking, agriculture and fluoride exposure risk

“…However, the bioavailability of the F − in food materials is generally influenced by the mineral content of the food, e.g., certain ions can form insoluble complexes limiting the F − bioavailability (Malde et al 2004). Studies suggest that elevated levels of fluoride in drinking water is an important factor that causes dental and skeletal fluorosis in parts of the world including India (Frencken 1992;Jacks et al 2005;Rao et al 2013;Bretzler and Johnson 2015;Choubisa and Choubisa 2016). It is believed that the number of persons affected by fluorosis in Asian and African countries exceeds 70 million (WHO 2006).…”

The eruption of the Laacher See volcano (~13,000 years BP) and possible fluoride poisoning amongst contemporaneous wildlife and human foragers—Outline of a hypothesis and the way to test it

“…The skeletal manifestations of chronic F‐toxicity are varied, including localized or generalized periosteal hyperostosis, osteophytosis, osteosclerosis, osteomalacia and formation of enthesophytes (Figure 4; Boivin & Meunier, 1990; Choubisa & Choubisa, 2016; Death et al, 2017; Ranjan & Ranjan, 2015; Roholm, 1937; Schultz et al, 1998; Shupe & Olson, 1971, 1983; Simon et al, 2014; Weatherell & Weidmann, 1959). Skeletal fluorosis has been reported in humans and a wide variety of other mammals exposed to excess fluoride from either natural or anthropogenic sources (see Death et al, 2017 for a recent review).…”

“…The severity and localization of osteofluorotic lesions vary depending on different factors, including the level of F‐exposure, the nutritional situation (calcium supply in particular) of the individual, the stage of skeletal development and the biomechanical forces acting upon the skeleton (Death et al, 2017). Osteofluorosis‐associated stiffness and lameness as well as fragility fractures have been reported in various mammalian species (Choubisa & Choubisa, 2016; Death et al, 2017; Ranjan & Ranjan, 2015; Shupe & Olson, 1971, 1983), and the histological features of fluorotic bone have been studied in detail (Boivin, Chavassieux, Chapuy, Baud, & Meunier, 1989; Boivin & Meunier, 1990; Death et al, 2017; Simon et al, 2014; Weatherell & Weidmann, 1959).…”

“…The skeletal manifestations of chronic F-toxicity are varied, including localized or generalized periosteal hyperostosis, osteophytosis, osteosclerosis, osteomalacia and formation of enthesophytes(Figure 4;Boivin & Meunier, 1990;Choubisa & Choubisa, 2016;Death et al, 2017;Ranjan & Ranjan, 2015; …”