Soil Profiles and Fluoride Adsorption in Intensely Cultivated Areas of Mysore District, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Fluoride is a persistent and non-degradable toxin that is accumulating in soils, plants, wildlife and humans. Many farmers are unaware of the hidden presence of this highly toxic substance. In this study water and soil samples have been analysed from 5 agricultural locations across Mysore district that represented different soil types in the region. At each site composite soil samples were taken and analyzed for all physicochemical parameters. Mean water-extractable soil fluoride concentration from a depth of 5 cm to 20 cm in each location was in the range, sandy (3-1.9 mg/L), black (4-2.3 mg/L), laterite (4.5-3.6 mg/L), alluvial (9-6.3 mg/L) and red (loam) (11.2-7.9 mg/L). Fluoride in the groundwater in the experimental location is in the range 25.5 mg/L for sandy soil and 1.5 mg/L for loam soil. Also an epidemiological study among 20 school going children in each area was conducted on the prevalence of fluorosis. Results revealed that on 4/20 children from Mahadevapura east were having mottled teeth. This may be due to fluoride in ground water (25.5 mg/L) or might be due to health and hygiene.