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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)

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Abstract

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UNICA – Caries Research Unit, Research Vice-rectory, Universidad El Bosque, Av. Cra. 9 No. 131A-02, Edificio Fundadores, 2° piso, Bogotá, 110121, Colombia

    Stefania Martignon, Viviana Avila & Jaime Alberto Ruiz-Carrizosa

  2. Dental Innovation and Translation Centre, King’s College Dental Institute, 17 Tower Wing Room 37, Great Maze Pound, London, SE1 9RT, UK

    Stefania Martignon

  3. Grupo Agua, Salud y Ambiente, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad El Bosque, Av. Cra. 9 No. 131A-02, Bogotá, 110121, Colombia

    Mario Omar Opazo-Gutiérrez & Iván Rodrigo Orjuela-Osorio

  4. Grupo Producción Limpia – Choc Izone, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad El Bosque, Av. Cra. 9 No. 131A-02, Bogotá, 110121, Colombia

    Möritz Velásquez-Riaño

  5. Department of Cariology, Operative Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Indiana University School of Dentistry, 415 Lansing Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-2876, USA

    Esperanza Angeles Martinez-Mier

  6. UMIMC – Unidad de Manejo Integral de Malformaciones Craneofaciales, Dental Scool, Universidad El Bosque, Av. Cra. 9 No. 131A-02, Bogotá, 110121, Colombia

    María Clara González-Carrera

  7. Department Secretary of Health – Huila, Cra. 20 No. 5B, -36, Neiva, Huila, Colombia

    Blanca Cecilia Silva-Hermida

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  1. Stefania Martignon
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  2. Mario Omar Opazo-Gutiérrez
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  3. Möritz Velásquez-Riaño
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  9. Blanca Cecilia Silva-Hermida
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Correspondence to Stefania Martignon.

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Martignon, S., Opazo-Gutiérrez, M.O., Velásquez-Riaño, M. et al. 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). Environ Monit Assess 189, 264 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-5975-6

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