Fluoride contamination in estuary water villages located around SIPCOT Industrial Zone,Cuddalore District,Tamil Nadu,India

Presence of high concentration of fluoride in drinking water causes dental and skeletal fluorosis in humans in several parts of the world. in india presence of high concentration of fluoride in water is reported from different corners of the country. in the present study we investigated fluoride levels in the uppanar estuary water in cuddalore,tamil nadu,india. forty five water samples from different villages located near sipcot industrial zone,cuddalore,were collected and analysed for fluoride contamination. water samples were collected during may to june in 2008. it was recorded that in the water of thaikkal village fluoride concentration were ranged between 1.8 and 2.4 mg/l,and in kudikadu values of fluoride concentration were between 01.1and 2.1 mg/l. moreover,the fluoride concentration in water near the sipcot zone ranged between 1.0 and 1.7 mg/l. the concentration of fluoride (2.4mg/l) recorded from these sites were higher than the who recommended safe levels of fluoride in drinking water resources. since the fluoride concentration recorded in the present study are above 1 mg/l,it may lead to skeletal fluorosis which has no treatment or cure at present and hence appropriate steps have to be taken to prevent such fluorosis in these villages.