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Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania

Received: 29 August 2014     Accepted: 13 September 2014     Published: 20 September 2014
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Abstract

Predicting fluoride levels in water within fluoride endemic areas is an issue of high significance. As a result several methods including mathematical models have been reported to suit the task. However, most of these methods have limited practicality to low income communities. This study presents the potentials of employing soil characteristics to predict the level of fluoride in groundwater. The study is based at the areas around Mount Meru in Northern Tanzania. The volcanic sediments around this mountain had been segregated by geological studies into various lithologies. In this study water and soil samples were collected at springs in volcanic sediments categorized as main cone group, mantling ash, Tengeru lahar, Ongadongishu lahar and Ngarenanyuki lahar. Fluoride levels in water were then correlated to elemental composition of the soil. Water samples showed that fluoride was low in the main cone group, mantling ash and Tengeru lahar whereby the median concentration was 1mg/l but it was high in Ngarenanyuki and Ongadongishu lahars whereby the median concentrations were 4mg/l and 9mg/l respectively. Soil analyses indicated that high levels of aluminium do coincide along with low sodium levels, and vice versa. In addition high levels of sodium in soil are accompanied by high levels of calcium. Correlation studies indicated a strong negative relationship between aluminium in soil and fluoride in spring water with r2 = 0.847. On the other hand, a positive correlation was obtained between calcium in soil and fluoride in water with correlation coefficient, r2= 0.765. Likewise, sodium indicated a positive correlation with fluoride in water (r2= 0.458). So long as high levels of Na and Ca in soil or water normally result to formation of salts on the banks of water sources after prolonged evaporation during dry seasons, the correlation established between fluoride and such elements in soil can enable people within volcanic areas to identify water sources with unacceptable levels of fluoride in their areas hence reducing the risks of fluorosis.

Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 2, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11
Page(s) 231-238
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2014. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Fluoride, Soil, Mantling Ash, Lahar, Volcanic Rock, Mount Meru, Tanzania

References
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[7] D. V. Reddy, P. Nagabhushanam, B. S. Sukhija et al., "Fluoride dynamics in the granitic aquifer of the Wailapally watershed, Nalgonda District, India," Chemical Geology, vol. 269, no. 3. pp.278-289, 2010.
[8] J. T. Nanyaro, U. Aswathanarayana, J. S. Mungure et al., "A geochemical model for the abnormal fluoride concentrations in waters in parts of northern Tanzania," Journal of African Earth Sciences (1983), vol. 2, no. 2. pp.129-140, 1984.
[9] M. Amini, K. Mueller, K. C. Abbaspour et al., "Statistical modeling of global geogenic fluoride contamination in groundwaters," Environmental science & technology, vol. 42, no. 10. pp.3662-3668, 2008.
[10] M. I. Letnic and B. J. Fox, "The impact of industrial fluoride fallout on faunal succession following sand mining of dry sclerophyll forest at Tomago, NSW - I. Lizard recolonisation," Biological Conservation, vol. 80, no. 1. pp.63-81, 1997.
[11] M. Ando, M. Tadano, S. Yamamoto et al., "Health effects of fluoride pollution caused by coal burning," Science of the Total Environment, vol. 271, no. 1. pp.107-116, 2001.
[12] S. Gupta, D. Mondal, and A. Bardhan, "Geochemical provenance and spatial distribution of fluoride in Groundwater in parts of Raniganj coal field, West Bengal, India," Archives of Applied Science Research, vol. 4, no. 1. pp.292-306, 2012.
[13] N. J. Barrow and A. S. Ellis, "Testing a mechanistic model. III. The effects of pH on fluoride retention by a soil," Journal of soil science, vol. 37, no. 2. pp.287-293, 1986.
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[15] J. K. Gikunju, "Fluoride in water and fish from Kenyan rift valley lakes,", University of Nairobi, 1990.
[16] C. J. Bardecki, "Fluoride probability in Tanzania waters," Maji Review, vol. 1. pp.55-61, 1974.
[17] F. J. Gumbo and G. Mkongo, "Water defluoridation for rural fluoride affected communities in Tanzania," Ngurdoto, Tanzania October 18-21, 1995. pp.109, 1995.
[18] URT, "The United Republic of Tanzania. Strategy for Scaling up Defluoridation Activities and Piloting Research Findings. Ministry of Water." . 2013.
[19] G. Ghiglieri, D. Pittalis, G. Cerri et al., "Hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry of an alkaline volcanic area: The NE Mt. Meru slope (East African Rift-Northern Tanzania)," Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, vol. 16, no. 2. pp.529-541, 2012.
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    John Mkungu, Revocatus Lazaro Machunda, Alfred Nzibavuga Nyarubakula Muzuka. (2014). Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 2(5), 231-238. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11

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    ACS Style

    John Mkungu; Revocatus Lazaro Machunda; Alfred Nzibavuga Nyarubakula Muzuka. Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2014, 2(5), 231-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11

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    AMA Style

    John Mkungu, Revocatus Lazaro Machunda, Alfred Nzibavuga Nyarubakula Muzuka. Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2014;2(5):231-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11,
      author = {John Mkungu and Revocatus Lazaro Machunda and Alfred Nzibavuga Nyarubakula Muzuka},
      title = {Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania},
      journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
      volume = {2},
      number = {5},
      pages = {231-238},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20140205.11},
      abstract = {Predicting fluoride levels in water within fluoride endemic areas is an issue of high significance. As a result several methods including mathematical models have been reported to suit the task. However, most of these methods have limited practicality to low income communities. This study presents the potentials of employing soil characteristics to predict the level of fluoride in groundwater. The study is based at the areas around Mount Meru in Northern Tanzania. The volcanic sediments around this mountain had been segregated by geological studies into various lithologies. In this study water and soil samples were collected at springs in volcanic sediments categorized as main cone group, mantling ash, Tengeru lahar, Ongadongishu lahar and Ngarenanyuki lahar. Fluoride levels in water were then correlated to elemental composition of the soil. Water samples showed that fluoride was low in the main cone group, mantling ash and Tengeru lahar whereby the median concentration was 1mg/l but it was high in Ngarenanyuki and Ongadongishu lahars whereby the median concentrations were 4mg/l and 9mg/l respectively. Soil analyses indicated that high levels of aluminium do coincide along with low sodium levels, and vice versa. In addition high levels of sodium in soil are accompanied by high levels of calcium. Correlation studies indicated a strong negative relationship between aluminium in soil and fluoride in spring water with r2 = 0.847. On the other hand, a positive correlation was obtained between calcium in soil and fluoride in water with correlation coefficient, r2= 0.765. Likewise, sodium indicated a positive correlation with fluoride in water (r2= 0.458). So long as high levels of Na and Ca in soil or water normally result to formation of salts on the banks of water sources after prolonged evaporation during dry seasons, the correlation established between fluoride and such elements in soil can enable people within volcanic areas to identify water sources with unacceptable levels of fluoride in their areas hence reducing the risks of fluorosis.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Application of Soil Composition for Inferring Fluoride Variability in Volcanic Areas of Mt. Meru, Tanzania
    AU  - John Mkungu
    AU  - Revocatus Lazaro Machunda
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11
    T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
    JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
    JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
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    EP  - 238
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7667
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20140205.11
    AB  - Predicting fluoride levels in water within fluoride endemic areas is an issue of high significance. As a result several methods including mathematical models have been reported to suit the task. However, most of these methods have limited practicality to low income communities. This study presents the potentials of employing soil characteristics to predict the level of fluoride in groundwater. The study is based at the areas around Mount Meru in Northern Tanzania. The volcanic sediments around this mountain had been segregated by geological studies into various lithologies. In this study water and soil samples were collected at springs in volcanic sediments categorized as main cone group, mantling ash, Tengeru lahar, Ongadongishu lahar and Ngarenanyuki lahar. Fluoride levels in water were then correlated to elemental composition of the soil. Water samples showed that fluoride was low in the main cone group, mantling ash and Tengeru lahar whereby the median concentration was 1mg/l but it was high in Ngarenanyuki and Ongadongishu lahars whereby the median concentrations were 4mg/l and 9mg/l respectively. Soil analyses indicated that high levels of aluminium do coincide along with low sodium levels, and vice versa. In addition high levels of sodium in soil are accompanied by high levels of calcium. Correlation studies indicated a strong negative relationship between aluminium in soil and fluoride in spring water with r2 = 0.847. On the other hand, a positive correlation was obtained between calcium in soil and fluoride in water with correlation coefficient, r2= 0.765. Likewise, sodium indicated a positive correlation with fluoride in water (r2= 0.458). So long as high levels of Na and Ca in soil or water normally result to formation of salts on the banks of water sources after prolonged evaporation during dry seasons, the correlation established between fluoride and such elements in soil can enable people within volcanic areas to identify water sources with unacceptable levels of fluoride in their areas hence reducing the risks of fluorosis.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Water, Environmental Science and Engineering, The Nelson Mandela- African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania

  • Department of Water, Environmental Science and Engineering, The Nelson Mandela- African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania

  • Department of Water, Environmental Science and Engineering, The Nelson Mandela- African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania

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