The Fluorine in Surface Waters: Origin, and Weight on Human Health

The present geochemistry of fluorine in a given area is thus a result of the local geological history, whose structural fabric evolution may be strongly affected by rift structures. Fluorspar deposits must be considered only a possible end effect of the hydrothermal systems that always form along the rift faults and fractures and involve huge volumes of F-rich solutions directly or indirectly responsible for the origin and geochemical balance of fluorine in the surface waters. On the other hand, this study enables to suggest the control of areas where the anomalies in fluoride can be expected to be harmful to health. Indeed, links between high grade fluorine and some diseases are well known. The fluorosis, which is particularly widespread in some developing countries grows where excessive F (as fluoride) occurs in the waters used for civilian purposes