Abstract

The Assam region has been recognized only recently as one of the endemic fluorosis areas in India. Surveys indicate that one-seventh of the 700,000 people in the Karbianglong district of Assam have dental and/or skeletal fluorosis. For this reason, the high concentrations of fluoride (F) in the water resources in various areas of the district are of great concern. In this report we have utilized water F analyses of separate individual areas by subdividing the region into three zones (<0.10, 1.0-1.5, and >1.5 mg F/L) having different potentials for their vulnerability in relation to hazardous effects of F with possible precision and accuracy. These zonation plots should contribute significantly toward planning and developing an improved quality of life for the area and its people.

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