Читать книгу Groundwater Geochemistry - Группа авторов - Страница 48

The effect of fluoride contamination on human health has been studied by researchers from all over the world for more than a century. Fluoride causes both good and bad effects on the human body depending on the level of exposure. According to the study of Ozsvath (2009), ingestion of a moderate amount of fluoride can actively decrease the risk of occurrence of dental caries as well as promote the growth of strong bones under certain conditions. Chronic exposure to fluoride can cause various ill effects on human health such as dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis; it can also increase the rate of urolithias, and decrease natality and IQ level of children. In some cases, chronic exposure might also lead to a number of defects such as genetic mutations, birth defects, and Alzheimer's disease; the scientific data at present are inconclusive (Ozsvath 2009). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the maximum intake of fluoride in drinking water is recommended as 1.5 mg/L (Edition 2011). Among various other adverse health impacts on the body, fluorosis remains the major problem in affected populations and is categorized as dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis, as discussed in Sections 2.4.1 and 2.4.2.