Fluoride content in drinking water of the rural areas of Divandarreh city, Kurdistan province, Iran: a non-carcinogenic risk assessment

In this study, the concentration of fluoride in water resources and its associated health risks were investigated by collecting water samples from 43 villages around the city of Divandarreh during the rainy and dry seasons. The results showed that fluoride concentration in drinking water ranged from 0.23 to 2.08 mg L-1 for the rainy season and 0.1 to 1.95 mg L-1 for the dry season. Based on the results, 51.16% of the analysed samples from the rainy season and 58.13% from the dry season were within the standard range required by WHO (0.5-1.5 mg/l). The results from the health risk assessment showed that children were exposed to the higher levels of risk in most of the studied villages. The hazard quotient (HQ) values for all groups of the studied population was higher than 1 in Alijan, Babarar, Gheshlagh sefid and Abbareh villages. In conclusion, the reduction of fluoride content in the drinking water and regular monitoring of water resources can play a vital role in preventing non-carcinogenic fluoride adverse health effects.

Automated summary

This study investigates the concentration of fluoride in water resources and its associated health risks in various villages around the city of Divandarreh, Iran. The results reveal that the majority of the analyzed water samples had elevated fluoride levels, posing significant health risks for children.