A STUDY OF FLUORIDE CONTAMINATION IN DRINKING WATER AND ITS SOCIO-HEALTH IMPACT IN AND AROUND MERTA CITY, RAJASTHAN

Zoology

Fluoride contamination in drinking water is a major environmental and public health concern in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan. This study investigates the concentration of fluoride in various drinking water sources—including groundwater, surface-collected rainwater, lakes, and ponds—in and around Merta City (Nagaur District, Rajasthan), and assesses its socio-health impacts on the local population. Water samples were collected from 20 locations and analyzed for fluoride content using an ion-selective electrode method. Medical and hospital data on dental and skeletal fluorosis cases were also compiled to correlate water fluoride levels with health outcomes. Results indicated that fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.7 mg/L to 4.8 mg/L, exceeding the BIS permissible limit (1.5 mg/L) in several villages. Groundwater sources (handpumps, borewells) showed the highest contamination, followed by lakes and ponds, while surface-collected rainwater exhibited the lowest fluoride level (<1.0 mg/L). Statistical analysis (t-test, r-correlation) revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.82) between fluoride concentration and incidence of fluorosis symptoms. The study concludes that fluoride contamination poses a significant socio-health risk in Merta region and recommends mitigation strategies such as rainwater harvesting, defluoridation units, and regular water monitoring.

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