Groundwater fluoride contamination in Ghana and the associated human health risks: Any sustainable mitigation measures to curtail the long term hazards?
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Groundwater for Sustainable Development
Abstract
This study reviewed groundwater fluoride and the associated human health risks in Ghana. The physical and
chemical properties of fluorine that make it soluble in the soil and aquifer materials were carefully reviewed. The
pathways through which fluoride gets into groundwater were also reviewed. Fluoride concentrations in
groundwater can be as high as 67 mg/L. Its natural concentration in water depends largely on the nature of the
geologic formations; fluoride-bearing minerals, anion exchange capacity of aquifer materials (OH− for F− ), pH,
temperature and residence time of waters within a particular formation. High F2 concentrations in groundwater
are due to geogenic and anthropogenic sources. The fluorosis-endemic parts of Ghana are only restricted to
northern Ghana, where elevated groundwater fluoride concentrations (0.05–13.29 mg/L) in the North East
Region, Northern Region, Upper East Region, and surrounding communities have been reported. The elevated
groundwater fluoride concentrations are as a result of intense water-rock interaction, ion exchange reactions, and
mineral dissolution from the Bongo Granitoids and Voltaian sediments. Children in the fluorosis-endemic parts of
Ghana are exposed to the intake of more fluoridated water than the other age groups and thus, children have
higher non-carcinogenic risks. Although almost all age groups show evidence of dental fluorosis, children are
the hypersensitive population. It is recommended that sustainable defluoridation methods such as adsorption,
precipitation, membrane separation and ion exchange techniques be employed to curtail the menace of dental
fluorosis.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Defluoridation techniques, Sustainable fluoride mitigation, Groundwater