Human Toxicity, Environmental Impact and Legal Implications of

HUMAN TOXICITY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF WATER FLUORIDATION
� potential toxic effects from SiF dissociation residues in municipal
drinking water that may be present.
� the environmental impact of SiF on freshwater and marine ecosystems
has not been properly investigated.
� the biological and human health consequences of ingesting such a
species have never been properly investigated.
The only extensive examination of the actual biochemical effects of SiF that
has been encountered is the aforementioned German study 33 which shows
substantial changes in membrane permeability and enzymatic changes
capable of substantially modifying neuronal excitability. Westendorf‘s results
showed that fluoride in the form of the silicafluoride complex (SiF), as well as
several other complexes, was a substantially more powerful inhibitor of
cholinesterase than the simple fluoride ion released by sodium fluoride (NaF).
The inhibition of cholinesterase by silicafluorides is not unusual as it has been
widely scientifically documented that fluoride is capable of inhibiting a
number of enzymes, including pre-glycolytic enzymes, phosphatases, and
cholinesterase. 34
These finding are of staggering significance as:
� cholinesterase is one of many important enzymes needed for the
proper functioning of the nervous systems of humans, other
vertebrates, and insects.
� glycolytic enzymes have been found to play a central role in
dementia 35 and
� phosphatases metabolism plays a critical role in cellular function,
physiology and disease, including allergy, asthma, obesity, myocardial
hypertrophy, and Alzheimer's disease. 36 , 37
Cholinergic pathways innervate virtually every organ in the body, including
the brain and peripheral nervous system. Acetylcholine plays an important
role in the functioning of the nervous system. Acetylcholine (AChE) is a
neurotransmitter which enables chemical communication to occur between
a nerve cell and a target cell. This target cell may be another nerve cell,
muscle fiber or gland. 38 Inhibition of AChE leads to an accumulation of
acetylcholine and a prolongation of the action of acetylcholine at the nerve-
33 Westendorf J. Die Kinetik der Acetylcholinesterasehemmung und die Beeinflussung
der Permeabilitat von Erythrozxytenmembranen durch Fluroid und Fluorokomplex-
Jonen. Doctoral Dissertation, Hamburg Universitat Hamburg Fachbereich Chemie,
1975.
34 United States National Library of Medicine, Hazardous substances databank
35 Iwangoff, P, Armbruster,R, Enz,A, Ruge W. M, Glycolytic enzymes from human
autoptic brain cortex: Normal aged and demented cases. Mechanisms of Ageing
and Development, Volume 14, Issues 1–2, September–October 1980, Pages 203–209
36 Hong Zheng, Shawn Alter, and Cheng-Kui Qu, SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase in human
diseases Int J Clin Exp Med. 2009; 2(1): 17–25.
37 Bottini N, Bottini E, Gloria-Bottini F, Mustelin T. Low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine
phosphatase and human disease: in search of biochemical mechanisms. Arch
Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2002;50(2):95-104.
38 Dementi, B. ―Cholinesterase Literature Review and Comment‖; Pesticides, People
and Nature; 1 (2); 59-126; 1999
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