Environmental distribution of fluoride in drinking waters of Kaltungo area, North-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract: This study focus on the distribution of fluoride in natural drinking water sources in Kaltungo area North-Eastern Nigeria. Forty five water samples were analyzed to determine the concentration levels of fluoride using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The result revealed that fluoride ranges from 0.52 to 4.4 mg/L in surface waters and from 0.1 to 3.95 mg/L in ground waters, while in plant tissue the fluoride content ranges from 1.2 to 1.96 mg/L. The average value of fluoride is 2.8 mg/L in both surface and ground waters. This results indicates that inhabitants of Kaltungo area at high risk of high fluoride exposure. Ingestion of high fluoride water results in manifestation of dental fluorosis in some of the inhabitants