Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2
A comparison of drinking water quality parameters of the study area with WHO and
Indian Standard
s
Mean value of parameters
under analysis
Sept. 09
WHO
international
standard (
1983
)
Indian standards for
drinking water specification
Parameters
April 10
pH
7.0-8.5
6.5-8.5
8.0
7.8
TH (mg/l)
100
300
676.4
744.7
Cl
−
(mg/l)
200
250
211.9
195.3
F
−
(mg/l)
1.5
1.5
3.53
3.40
NO
3
−
(mg/l)
45
45
65.94
64.14
Fig. 4
Dental fluorosis from
Bapanakunta village of
Anantapur district
fluorosis, teeth display brown to black staining followed by pitting of teeth surfaces.
Dental fluorosis produced considerable added dental costs (tooth deterioration) and
significant physiological stress for affected population. Dental fluorosis is endemic
in 14 states and 150,000 villages in India. The problems are most pronounced in the
states of A.P., Bihar, Gujarat, M.P., Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar
Pradesh (Pillai and Stanley
2002
).
The main source of drinking water are dug wells and hand pumps in Mudigubba
mandal of Anantapur district. Major health problem in this village is because of high
profile of natural fluoride concentration in ground water. High fluoride level in drink-
ing water causes dental decay and physiological deformations. Manifestation of den-
tal fluorosis in Bapanakunta village of the Mudigubba mandal is shown in Fig.
4
.
Skeletal Fluorosis
Skeletal fluorosis may occur when fluoride concentrations in drinking water exceeds
4-8 mg/l, which leads to increase in bone density, calcification of ligaments, rheumatic
or arthritic pain in joints and muscles along with stiffness and rigidity of the joints,
bending of the vertebral column and excessive bone formation or osteosclerosis, a
basic symptom of skeletal fluorosis (Teotia and Teotia
1988
); while excess F
−
may
include hypocalcaemia (Sherlin and Verma
2000
; Pius et al.
1999
; Ekambaram and
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