Fluoride in Quaternary groundwater aquifer, Nile Valley, Luxor, Egypt
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Fluoride in Quaternary groundwater aquifer, Nile Valley, Luxor, Egypt Ayman A. Ahmed
Received: 2 March 2013 / Accepted: 23 April 2013 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2013
Abstract The occurrence of fluoride in ground water is the focus of the public and has attracted the attention of many scientists all over the world due to its importance in public health. Deficiency or increase of fluoride uptake is considered a public health problem due to the narrow permissible limit which should not exceed 1.5 mg/l according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The range of fluoride tolerance and toxicity is narrow. Deviation from the optimal levels therefore results in dental health effects such as caries and fluorosis. Many studies have found fluorosis to be invariably associated with high concentrations of fluoride in drinking water. Fluorosis is a considerable health problem in many areas of the world including Brazil, China, East Africa, Ghana, India, Kenya, Korea, Malawi, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa, southeastern Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, and Turkey. Fluoride in groundwater of Quaternary aquifer of the Nile Valley, Egypt, does not gain the attention of the authors in the Nile Valley which makes the public health status of fluoride is not certain. The present work aims at investigating the fluoride concentration of Quaternary groundwater aquifer at Luxor as a representative area of the Nile Valley to be a base line for subsequent studies and criteria for public health. Ground water samples were collected from Quaternary groundwater aquifer at Luxor area, Egypt and analyzed for the purpose of investigating fluoride content. The results showed that fluoride concentration in the study area ranges between 0.113 and 0.452 with an average of 0.242 mg/l. Sources of fluoride in the study area can result from the natural dissolution from fluoride-rich minerals, fertilizers and from groundwater
A. A. Ahmed (*) Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt e-mail: [email protected]
recharge. It is worth mentioning that low fluoride content in the study area is considered a public health threat specially limited growth, fertility, and dental caries. Corrective measures should be taken to avoid the public health impacts of fluoride deficiency at Luxor area as well as similar areas in the Nile Valley. A public health program should be initiated to account for the deficiency of fluoride in groundwater and deal with the other supplementary fluoride sources in food or fluoridation of drinking water supplies. Keywords Fluoride . Quaternary aquifer . Nile Valley . Luxor . Egypt
Introduction Background The Nile Valley of Egypt, is one of the oldest agricultural areas in the world, having been under continuous cultivation for at least 5,000 years (USDA 1976; Crush 1995; Nasr 1997; Sallam 2003). Before construction of the High Dam, only one crop per year was produced by basin irrigation. After construction of the High Dam, these lands were changed completely to perenn
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