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- Title
Mapping the Environmental Risk of Fluoride Exposure of Drinking Water in a Community of Zacatecas, Mexico.
- Authors
Martínez-Acuña, Mónica Imelda; Reyes-Hernández, Humberto; Covarrubias, Sergio A.; Martínez-Esquivel, Rosa Adriana; Estudillo-Wong, Luis Alberto
- Abstract
Fluoride (iF) is an inorganic element commonly present in groundwater in central Mexico and is considered a health risk when it exceeds the Mexican drinking water standard of 1.5 mg/L. Prolonged exposure to iF can cause various adverse health effects, such as dental fluorosis and neurological effects, particularly in children. A rapid and cost-effective strategy to identify possible areas where the resident population may be at risk of exposure to this contaminant is the health risk estimation methodology of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The aim of this study was to estimate the environmental risk of iF exposure in residents of Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico, and subsequently construct risk maps to identify areas of the city where there is a higher risk of exposure. Fifty-five tap water samples were collected from households to determine iF concentrations using the ion-selective electrode method. Based on these environmental values, the hazard quotient (HQ) was estimated following the health risk estimation methodology. Subsequently, risk maps were generated from these values to visualize the spatial distribution of high-risk areas within the city. The iF concentrations in tap water ranged from 1.3 to 7.3 mg/L (ppm), with only one sample below the standard of 1.5 mg/L. We estimated HQ values ranging from 0.63 to 3.73. Exposure to iF in tap water is a health problem that must be addressed, necessitating risk communication actions that enable the population to safeguard its health through simple measures, thereby avoiding future health costs.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL mapping; DRINKING water standards; DRINKING water; FLUOROSIS; RISK exposure; ENVIRONMENTAL risk
- Publication
Water (20734441), 2024, Vol 16, Issue 17, p2428
- ISSN
2073-4441
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/w16172428