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The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health

Dissertation (MSc (Water Utilization))--University of Pretoria, 2006.

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Other Authors: Schutte, Frik
Format: Thesis
Published: University of Pretoria 2013
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Schutte, Frik
author_browse Schutte, Frik
author_facet Schutte, Frik
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2002, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Water Utilization))--University of Pretoria, 2006.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26112
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:38:08.659Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2013
publishDateRange 2013
publishDateSort 2013
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/26112 The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health Schutte, Frik upetd@up.ac.za Ncube, Esper Jacobeth Teeth effect of water quality on Groundwater fluoride content Mottled enamel Geochemistry Fluorosis UCTD Dissertation (MSc (Water Utilization))--University of Pretoria, 2006. The most appropriate and widely used source of drinking water for the rural populations of South Africa is groundwater. Pilot studies and surveys conducted by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DW AF) indicated that there are a number of boreholes across the country that contain apart from fluoride, levels of nitrate, some heavy metals, total dissolved solids, sulphates and faecal coliform (in isolated regions) that could pose a health risk if the water is used for drinking purposes. Very few boreholes have been tested for heavy metals or toxic organic substances. However considering the levels of fluoride, in general, groundwater is of acceptable quality except for some provinces in which elevated levels of natural groundwater fluoride occurs. Very high levels of fluoride, >4 mg/l occur in some groundwater sources in all nine provinces of South Africa, especially in the Limpopo, North-West, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal provinces. A superficial inspection reveals that most of the local people in those areas suffer from dental fluorosis at varying degrees. The main aim of this study is to determine the distribution of the fluoride ion concentration levels in South African groundwater and the impacts thereof on dental health. The available data is used to assess the distribution of the various fluoride ion concentration levels in some national groundwater sources. Areas of particularly high or low fluoride levels are identified. Results from an epidemiological survey carried out by the National Department of Health (NDOH) are used concurrently with the fluoride data to determine the percentage morbidity of dental fluorosis in each area The results are compared in order to determine if any relationship exists between the occurrence of fluoride in drinking water and the incidences of dental fluorosis. Vegter's lithostratigraphy and the simplified geology of South Africa are used to interpret the results and assess the role of surface geology in the release and distribution of fluorides in groundwater. The role of other factors such as climate and the interactions of the fluoride ion and other water quality parameters in aqueous media are also assessed. Chemical Engineering unrestricted 2013-09-07T02:34:06Z 2005-07-20 2013-09-07T02:34:06Z 2002-11-19 2006-07-20 2005-07-08 Dissertation Ncube, EJ 2002, The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26112 > H638/ag http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26112 http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07082005-125612/ © 2002, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Teeth effect of water quality on
Groundwater fluoride content
Mottled enamel
Geochemistry
Fluorosis
UCTD
The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title_full The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title_fullStr The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title_full_unstemmed The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title_short The distribution of fluoride in South African groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
title_sort distribution of fluoride in south african groundwater and the impact thereof on dental health
topic Teeth effect of water quality on
Groundwater fluoride content
Mottled enamel
Geochemistry
Fluorosis
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/26112
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07082005-125612/