Human Toxicity, Environmental Impact and Legal Implications of

HUMAN TOXICITY, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF WATER FLUORIDATION
amended agricultural soils and by ingestion of fish that may have
bioaccumulated fluoride in their tissues.
As previously discussed fluoride accumulates in soils and surface water
sediments by release of the pollutant through leakages in the water
distribution system, effluent releases from wastewater plants and treatment
and disposal of human wastewater sludge or food processing sludge.
Wastewater discharges of fluoride are considerably above the background
level in the environment. 106 No environmental or ecological studies examining
the potential of these exposure pathways have ever been undertaken in
Ireland. The toxicity of soil dwelling organisms, freshwater or marine organisms
to fluoride pollution has also not been examined. It has been documented,
however, that fluorides tend to persist in most soils. 107 Research has also shown
that several species of plants have the capacity to convert soluble fluoride
obtained from the soil into carbon-fluorine compounds such as
monofluoroacetic acid, ω-fluoro-oleic acid, ω-fluoropalmitic acid, and ωfluoromyristic
acid. 108 , 109
4.4 Fluoride in our Food
As reported by the EU Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and
Allergies, there is no convincing evidence that health and development of
humans depends on the intake of fluoride. 110
It is now known that the systemic application of fluoride through injection into
drinking water supplies may impair normal development of enamel in the preeruptive
tooth and cause fluorosis. 111
Fluoride intake from food is generally low except when food is prepared with
fluoridated water. The fluoride content of the water used in industrial
production and home-cooking affects the fluoride content of the prepared
food. The use of water containing up to 1 ppm/L has been estimated to
106 EPA Technical Support Document for the Round Two Sewage Sludge Pollutants,
Office of Water, EPA-822-R-96-003, August 1996
107 Brewer RF, 1966. Fluorine. In: Chapman HD, ed. Diagnostic criteria for plants and
soils. Riverside, CA: Division of Agricultural Science, University of California, 180-195.
108 Marais JSC. 1944. Monofluoracetic acid, the toxic principle of
"grifblaar"Dichapetabum cymosum (Hook) Engl. Onderstepoort J Vet Sci Anim Indust
20:67-73.
109 Ward PFV, Hall RJ, Peters RA. 1964. Fluoro-fatty acids in the seeds of
Dichapetabum toxicarium. Nature 201:611-612.
110 Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on a
request from the Commission related to the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Fluoride,
The EFSA Journal (2005) 192, 1-65
111 Opinion of the European Commission Scientific Committee on Cosmetic Products
and non-food products (SCCNFP intended for consumers) concerning the Safety of
Fluorine Compounds in Oral Hygiene Products for Children under the age of 6 years.
SCCNFP/0653/03, Final, June 2003
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