superphosphate and Fluorosis--Dental

Chronic industrial fluoride toxicosis in the forms of dental, skeletal and non-skeletal fluorosis was investigated in 162 villagers (94 males and 78 females) above 15 years of age living in the vicinity of superphosphate fertilizer plants located approximately 12 km south of Udaipur city of Rajasthan, India. Out of these villagers, 90 (55.5%) and 29 (18.0%) were found to be afflicted with mild to severe dental and skeletal fluorosis, respectively. Dental fluorosis characterized with light to deep-brownish bilaterally striated horizontal lines, pits or patches and fine dots or granules was noted on incisor teeth of villagers. Irregular wearing, excessive corrosions (abrasions), dark-brownish pigmentation of exposed cementum and dentine material, diastem as between teeth, pronounced loss of tooth supporting bone with recession and bulging of gingiva (gum) were also present in subjects of older age group (>55 years). Among 29 (18.0%) individuals, mild to moderate manifestations of skeletal fluorosis such as crippling, kyphosis, invalidism and genu-varum syndrome were found. In these fluorotic subjects pain/rigidity in major joints viz. neck, back, hip, knee and shoulder was also found. None of the fluorotic subjects showed evidence of genu-valgum syndrome. Other signs of chronic industrial fluoride intoxication in soft tissues (non-skeletal fluorosis) included colic, intermittent diarrhoea or constipation, bloating, polyuria and polydipsia. These findings indicate that surrounding environment of superphosphate fertilizer plants is contaminated with fluoride emission, which in turn is causing diverse ill health effects in humans which are discussed.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Bone Diseases; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diphosphates; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Fertilizers; Fluorosis, Dental; Humans; India; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence

Signs of dental discolouration, difficulty in mastication, bony lesions, lameness, debility and mortality in domesticated animals, reared around superphosphate fertiliser plants located approximately 15 km north of Udaipur, Rajasthan prompted us to investigate for the occurrence of fluorosis. Out of 166 animals clinically examined, the prevalence rate was 17.4% (4/23) in calves below 1 year of age, 37.2% (16/43) in cattle between 1 and 3 years, 61.3% (46/75) in cattle above 3 years and 72% (18/25) in buffalo above 1 year. Dental fluorosis was common in buffalo compared to cattle of all the age groups. Fluoride levels in fodder and water, consumed by the animals were much higher than the recommended permissible limit. Mean fluoride concentrations in serum and urine were 1.53 +/- 1.27 and 26.4 +/- 6.17 mg l(-1) in calves below 1 year of age, 0.56 +/- 0.17 and 26.2 +/- 3.86 mg l(-1) in cattle of 1-3 years, 0.49 +/- 1.13 and 27.5 +/- 4.63 mg l(-1) in cattle above 3 years and 0.60 +/- 0.07 and 28.6 +/- 4.73 mg l(-1) in buffalo over 1 year, respectively. The values were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than those of control animals kept over a 15-km distance from the factories. Fluoride concentrations in the environmental sample collected from the affected locality were 534.4 +/- 74.9 mg kg(-1) in fodder, 1.19 +/- 0.29 mg l(-1) in pond water and 0.479 +/- 0.351 mg l(-1) in tube well water. It was concluded that the consumption of fodder and water contaminated by the fumes and dusts emitting from superphosphate fertiliser plants resulted in the development of chronic fluorotic lesions in cattle and buffalo.

Topics: Air Pollutants; Animal Feed; Animals; Buffaloes; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Chemical Industry; Diphosphates; Exostoses; Female; Fertilizers; Fluoride Poisoning; Fluorides; Fluorosis, Dental; Food Contamination; Gait; India; Industrial Waste; Male; Prevalence; Water Pollutants, Chemical

Topics: Chemical Industry; Diphosphates; Drainage; Fertilizers; Fluorosis, Dental; Phosphates; Uzbekistan; Wastewater; Water Pollution; Water Supply

Topics: Air Pollution; Child; Dental Caries; Diphosphates; Fluorosis, Dental; Humans; Latvia; Phosphates; Toxicology