High fluoride incidence in groundwater and its potential health effects in parts of Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh, India
High concentrations of fluoride (F–) in drinking water are harmful to human health. Knowledge of spatiotemporal distribution of F– content in groundwater is thus a prerequisite for taking preventive measures. This communication reports F– incidence in groundwater and its relation with the prevalence of fluorosis in Tamnar area, Raigarh District, Chhattisgarh, India. Nearly 18% of the sampled wells had F– concentrations above the desirable limit (> 1.0 mg/l), the highest value being 8.8 mg/l. High F– concentrations primarily occurred in coal-bearing Barakar Formation of the Gondwana Supergroup. Prevalence of dental fluorosis was observed in five villages, viz. Dholnara, Kunjhemura, Muragaon, Pata and Saraitola; whereas skeletal fluorosis was found to occur only in Muragaon.