Geochemical characterization of fluoride in water, table salt, active sediment, rock and soil samples, and its possible relationship with the prevalence of enamel fluorosis in children in four municipalities of the department of Huila (Colombia)

Autores organización

• Stefania Martignon Biermann

  Autor

• Lorena Viviana Avila Max

  Autor

• 

  Maria Clara González Carrera

  Autor

Autores

• Opazo-Gutiérrez M.O.
• Velásquez-Riaño M.
• Orjuela-Osorio I.R.
• Martinez-Mier E.A.
• Ruiz-Carrizosa J.A.
• Silva-Hermida B.C.

Unidades de investigación

• Unidad de Investigación en Caries UNICA

  Investigador

  Stefania Martignon Biermann

• Unidad de Manejo Integral de Malformaciones Craneofaciales UMIMC

  

  Investigador

  Maria Clara González Carrera

Resumen

Fluoride is an element that affects teeth and bone formation in animals and humans. Though the use of systemic fluoride is an evidence-based caries preventive measure, excessive ingestion can impair tooth development, mainly the mineralization of tooth enamel, leading to a condition known as enamel fluorosis. In this study, we investigated the geochemical characterization of fluoride in water, table salt, active sediment, rock and soil samples in four endemic enamel fluorosis sentinel municipalities of the department of Huila, Colombia (Pitalito, Altamira, El Agrado and Rivera), and its possible relationship with the prevalence of enamel fluorosis in children. The concentration of fluoride in drinking water, table salt, active sediment, rock, and soil was evaluated by means of an ion selective electrode and the geochemical analyses were performed using X-ray fluorescence. Geochemical analysis revealed fluoride concentrations under 15 mg/kg in active sediment, rock and soil samples, not indicative of a significant delivery to the watersheds studied. The concentration of fluoride in table salt was found to be under the inferior limit (less than 180 µg/g) established by the Colombian regulations. Likewise, exposure doses for fluoride water intake did not exceed the recommended total dose for all ages from 6 months. Although the evidence does not point out at rocks, soils, fluoride-bearing minerals, fluoridated salt and water, the hypothesis of these elements as responsible of the current prevalence of enamel fluorosis cannot be discarded since, aqueducts might have undergone significant changes overtime. © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.

Keywords

• Animals; Child; Cities; Colombia; Dental Enamel; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Fluoridation; Fluorides; Fluorosis, Dental; Humans; Phosphates; Prevalence; Sodium Chloride, Dietary; Soil; Colombia; Huila [Colombia]; Animalia; Analytical geochemistry; Characterization; Enamels; Fluorine compounds; Geochemistry; Ion selective electrodes; Potable water; Rocks; Salts; Sediments; Sodium chloride; Soil surveys; Soils; Tooth enamel; Water; drinking water; fluoride; ground water; sodium chloride; water; fluoride; fluorophosphate; phosphate; pollutant; salt intake; soil; Active sediments; Evidence-based; Fluoride; Fluoride concentrations; Geochemical analysis; Geochemical characterization; Preventive measures; X ray fluorescence; child health; dental health; disease prevalence; enamel; fluoride; geochemistry; mineralization; salt; water quality; Article; caries prevention; Colombia; controlled study; dental fluorosis; enamel; geochemical analysis; gr