Ashong Gerheart Winfred, Ababio Boansi Adu, Kwaansa-Ansah Edward Ebow, Koranteng Simon Konadu, Muktar Gwalley Diyawul-Haqq
Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Kumasi, Ghana.
Heliyon. 2024 Mar 16;10(6):e27554. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27554. eCollection 2024 Mar 30.
Access to potable water is a significant concern due to the increasing global threat posed by fluoride contamination in groundwater sources. This study investigated the concentrations of fluoride (F), the suitability of groundwater for human consumption, the physicochemical characteristics affecting the water quality, and non-carcinogenic adverse health risks to both children and adults in the Bongo district in Northern Ghana. The findings revealed that the groundwater had a mean pH, salinity, TDS, conductivity, and turbidity below the WHO guideline values with a mean fluoride concentration of 1.76 mg/L above the guideline limit of 1.5 mg/L. The study also found that there was no strong relationship between fluoride and the measured water parameters, which may be attributed to poor control of distribution, transport mechanisms, and sources. The WQI scores ranged from 42.62% to 70.72%, indicating that all borehole water samples were of good and excellent quality. The average chronic daily intake showed that children are often more exposed to the harmful impact of fluoride than adults. The average HQ > 1 indicates the probability of dental and skeletal fluorosis after continuous exposure over time in adults and children. The study recommends taking immediate action to mitigate high groundwater fluoride concentrations, implementing appropriate water management strategies, and raising public awareness of the health risks. These measures can guide future groundwater management practices and help policymakers address contamination and protect local communities.
由于地下水源中氟污染对全球构成的威胁日益增加，获得安全饮用水成为一个重大问题。本研究调查了加纳北部邦戈区地下水中氟（F）的浓度、地下水用于人类饮用的适宜性、影响水质的理化特性以及对儿童和成人的非致癌性健康风险。研究结果显示，地下水的平均pH值、盐度、总溶解固体、电导率和浊度均低于世界卫生组织的指导值，但平均氟浓度为1.76毫克/升，高于指导限值1.5毫克/升。研究还发现，氟与所测水参数之间没有很强的相关性，这可能归因于对分布、输送机制和水源的控制不力。水质指数得分在42.62%至70.72%之间，表明所有钻孔水样的质量都很好或极佳。平均慢性每日摄入量表明，儿童比成人更容易受到氟的有害影响。平均危害商数>1表明，成人和儿童长期持续接触氟后，有患氟斑牙和氟骨症的可能性。该研究建议立即采取行动降低地下水中的高氟浓度，实施适当的水资源管理策略，并提高公众对健康风险的认识。这些措施可为未来的地下水管理实践提供指导，并帮助政策制定者应对污染问题，保护当地社区。
