Groundwater Fluoride Dynamics and Potential Risk of Fluorosis in Schoolchildren: An Extensive Study from the Fluoride Endemic Region of Chota Nagpur Plateau, Jharkhand, India.
Groundwater fluoride (F–) contamination was reported earlier from the Chota Nagpur Plateau, Jharkhand, India; however, detailed information was missing for precise identification of contaminated zones and associated health risks. The present study investigated F– contamination across the Gharbar gram panchayat, Baliapur block, Dhanbad district, focusing on groundwater hydro-geochemistry, schoolchildren’s Intelligence Quotient (IQ), and health risks. About 36% of groundwater samples (n = 315) exceeded 1.5 mg/L F– (mean = 1.68; range = 0.02–16.2). Out of the six studied villages in Gharbar gram panchayat, Gharbar exhibited the highest contamination index. Elevated Na+ and depleted Ca2+ levels indicated weathering-induced dissolution of CaF2 as a possible source of F– under alkaline conditions. Most contaminated wells were located between 6.1 and 76.2 m depth. Fluoride accumulation was maximum in leafy vegetables and posed limited dietary risk. Urinary F– was strongly correlated with water F– (p < 0.001) and reached up to 21 mg/L. Cumulative hazard index indicated F– toxicity in the order: children > adults > teenagers. Dental and skeletal fluorosis were noticed among 50% of the studied schoolchildren (n = 60), and out of them, 67% showed average (Grade III) intelligence levels. Findings revealed severe F– contamination that caused neurotoxicity and urgent safe drinking water initiatives.
