Evaluation of Fluoride levels in some selected local government of Taraba State Nigeria

Omale Owoicho Precious¹*, Adelagun A.O Ruth¹, Oko Odiba John¹
Page No.50-58

Water fluoridation has been considered a global environmental challenge in the past decade since most humans rely on water for their daily needs. The purpose of this study was to determine the fluoride concentrations in water sources in some parts of Taraba State, Nigeria. An aggregate of twenty-one (21) water samples were retrieved from different sources in twelve (12) diverse points within the study area and assessed for its physico-chemical composition with emphasis on fluoride content following standard field and laboratory procedures. Fluorides samples shows general concentration ranges from 0.49-3.57 mg/L. Zing, Yakoko and Monkin samples from Zing LGA recorded 3.57 mg/L, 3.15 mg/L and 2.15 mg/L respectively for well samples and 2.05 mg/L, 2.2 mg/L and 1.79 mg/L respectively for Hand dung borehole, similarly, Gulum and Kona water samples from Jalingo LGA recorded 2.7, 2.15 respectively for well samples and 1.8 mg/L, 1.7 mg/L  borehole also1.63 mg/L, 1.65 mg/L, 1.66 mg/L for borehole,1.55 mg/L, 1.74 mg/L, 1.90 mg/L for well respectively. It was observed About 10% of the water samples complied with the minimum (0.5 mg/L) and maximum (1.5 mg/L) threshold values for fluoride in drinking water (WHO, 2017). About 86% of samples were found to exceed the maximum permissible limits, while 4% of the samples had fluoride concentrations lower than the minimum acceptable limit (0.5 mg/L). The results of the study showed that high fluoride concentrations in the water samples were due to the geological and chemical composition of the underlying deep aquifers as well as to contributions from anthropogenic activities such as the use of fertilizer and pesticides in the area
Keywords: Water sources, Fluoride, Physicochemical, pollutants.