The Dangers of Fluoride

Fluorine by itself is an essential element for life; the human body requires a certain amount of fluorine to maintain health, but excessive fluoride can lead to fluorosis.

Hydrogen fluoride is highly toxic. When the concentration of fluoride in the air exceeds 1 mg/m³, it can directly harm human eyes, skin, and respiratory organs.

Hydrogen fluoride has a greater impact on plants than sulfur dioxide. Excessive levels of hydrogen fluoride can cause necrosis of plant leaves. If livestock drink water or consume feed with high fluoride content, they may also suffer from chronic poisoning.

If water with a fluoride concentration exceeding 1.5 mg/L is consumed over a long period, fluorosis of the bones may develop.

The primary health hazard of fluoride to the human body lies in its ability to damage bones, primarily causing impaired limb mobility. In severe cases of fluoride poisoning, bone density may become porous or deformed, making spontaneous fractures more likely.

Moreover, fluoride can make teeth brittle and also cause discoloration, damage the skin, and lead to pain, eczema, and various types of dermatitis.

Hydrogen fluoride has a highly irritating effect on the human respiratory system, causing rhinitis and tracheitis and leading to pulmonary fibrosis.

1. Chemical method

Chemical treatment methods include coagulation-sedimentation and calcium salt precipitation, among others.

2. Adsorption method

The commonly used adsorbents for fluoride removal mainly include activated alumina, activated zeolite, activated magnesium oxide, and bone char.

3. Ion Exchange Method

The ion-exchange method primarily employs ion-exchange resins, sulfonated lignite, sawdust, and other materials to achieve fluoride removal through ion-exchange reactions.

4. Electrochemical method

Electrochemical methods are mainly divided into electrodialysis, electrocoagulation, and electroadsorption, among others.

Fluorine is an essential element for the human body, but its intake must be moderate. Excessive fluoride intake can be harmful to health. According to the hygienic standards for drinking water, the fluoride concentration in drinking water should not exceed 1 milligram per liter. Long-term consumption of water exceeding these hygienic standards may lead to fluorosis. Fluorosis first manifests itself in children. If children consume water with excessively high fluoride levels during their growth period, they are at a significantly higher risk of developing dental fluorosis. It is reported that in some regions of China, the fluoride content in drinking water sources is very high; in certain villages, nearly all children suffer from dental fluorosis. Moreover, when the fluoride concentration in drinking water is even higher—say, 3 to 4 milligrams or more per liter—considerably more adults will develop skeletal fluorosis. This is an extremely painful bone disease that causes significant mobility impairment in patients; some even lose their ability to work and become completely dependent on others for daily living.