Investigation on Fluoride Concentration in Well Water and Its Health Implications: A Case Study of Gwagwalada, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Abuja
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Advanced Environmental Research and Technology. Published by Tarbiat Modares University Journals System
Abstract
This study focuses on determining the concentration of fluoride ions in selected hand-dug wells and investigating its health implications in Gwagwalada Area
Council, Federal Capital
Territory,
Abuja.
The
necessity
for this
investigation
arose from
observed health
issues, including
dental
and
skeletal fluorosis
among the residents in the area. Fifteen sampling points (well
water sources) were chosen in the study area, and a total of
forty-five samples (three per sampling point) were collected.
The
calorimetric
water quality
analysis method was employed
to
analyze
these
samples
in the
laboratory.
Additionally, the
Inverse
Distance
Weighting
(IDW) interpolation
method
was used to
generate
a
spatial
variation
map
for fluoride
ion
concentration
using
ArcMap.
The results indicate
a concentration
range of
0.122
mg/L to 1.910
mg/L across the study area.
When
compared
with
the
recommendations
for fluoride
ion concentration
key words
in the Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) for drinking water (0.1
– 1.0 mg/L), approximately 67% of the sampling points (10 out
of 15) fall within the recommended values, while 33% fall outside.
The areas with higher fluoride ion concentrations
include
Dupa 1, Dupa 2,
Tunga Maje 1,
Tunga Maje 2, and Old
Kutunku 2.
The study concludes that the observed dental and
skeletal
fluorosis in
these
areas can
be
attributed
to
the
consumption of water with high fluoride
concentrations.