Abstract

DIEZ PEREZ, Diana et al. Fluoride concentration in groundwater and its relationship with serum calcium levels in children living in Loreto, Concepción, Paraguay. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2019, vol.17, n.2, pp.24-35. ISSN 1812-9528.  https://doi.org/10.18004/mem.iics/1812-9528/2019.017.02.24-035.

As part of the biogeochemical cycle, soil fluoride can dissolve and accumulate in groundwater. World Health Organization and the Paraguayan Standard NP 24 001 80 establishes of 1.5 mg.L-1 of fluoride in drinking water, which can produce fluorosis when it is higher, as it has been found in children of Loreto. Studies indicate that exposure to fluoride concomitant with calcium deficit may aggravate bone loss, causing frailty and skeletal fluorosis. In addition, it was demonstrated through bioassays in mice that excess fluoride reduces serum calcium concentration, the objective of the descriptive study with the analytical component has become a spatial distribution map of Loreto groundwater and related to calcemia in children. The fluoride concentration was determined in samples from twenty-three groundwater wells and serum calcium from eighteen school-age children, both by standard method. Two points were identified with levels above the maximum allowed and in 61% of the children the serum calcium was lower than the reference value. We found a weak correlation between the variables (r = 0.212). It would be important to include in later studies factors not addressed in this research for a more complete risk assessment of the exposed population.

Keywords : fluoride; seric calcium; spacial distribution.

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