The Hai District in Northern Tanzania is one of the many areas along the East African Rift Valley where the groundwater contains high levels of fluoride. This study by sampling fluoride levels from water sources in the 52 villages of the Hai District identified two communities where the fluoride levels were high and presented a risk to human health

Shorter, James

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Southern Illinois University CarbondaleOpenSIUC2008 Conference Proceedings7-2008Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The CauseAnd Effects In The Hai District Of NorthernTanzaniaJames ShorterUniversity of Newcastle-upon-TyneFollow this and additional works at: http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/ucowrconfs_2008Abstracts of presentations given in Session 5 of the UCOWR conference.This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Conference Proceedings at OpenSIUC. It has been accepted for inclusion in 2008 by anauthorized administrator of OpenSIUC. For more information, please contact opensiuc@lib.siu.edu.Recommended CitationShorter, James, "Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania" (2008).2008. Paper 30.http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/ucowrconfs_2008/305.08  Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania  Presenter James Shorter        Mr.   University of Newcastle upon Tyne   Newcastle upon Tyne,  Northumberland        UK   4.4773057205e+011                   j.p.shorter@ncl.ac.uk       Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania  The Hai District in Northern Tanzania is one of the many areas along the East African Rift Valley where the groundwater contains high levels of fluoride. This study by sampling fluoride levels from water sources in the 52 villages of the Hai District identified two communities where the fluoride levels were high and presented a risk to human health. From a small quantity of rock samples and geological maps it seems that the two communities sit within certain geological conditions created by the volcanic events of mount Meru. This is further evidenced by reports of high instances of fluorosis in the neighbouring district towards Mount Meru which, it is suspected, has the same geological conditions. The two communities in question predominantly use groundwater as their drinking water source. The levels of fluoride ranged from 5mg/l to 35mg/l. In comparison the World Health Organisation’s guideline for drinking water sets a maximum level for fluoride at 1.5mg/l. The health implications for the communities of drinking fluoride rich water are dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis. Using two primary schools as a basis for the study it has been found that both school populations had a very high incidence of dental fluorosis. One school also had high levels of fluoride related bone deformities. There are two aims of the project firstly to study the pathway of fluoride from rock to water to human. The second aim is to study the impact of intervening in the water-human pathway. The intervention chosen was locally made bone char filters which will be installed in the schools providing the children with water with safe fluoride levels. If the implementation and sustainability of the filters is acceptable it potentially could be an affordable solution for the affected communities.  

Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania

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Fluoride In Drinking Water: A Study Of The Cause And Effects In The Hai District Of Northern Tanzania

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