Spatial and Temporal Variability of Fluoride Concentrations in Groundwater Resources of Larestan and Gerash Regions in Iran from 2003 to 2010

Abstract

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Fluoride Concentrations in Groundwater Resources of Larestan and Gerash Regions in Iran from 2003 to 2010Abstract Number:2686 Hassan Amini*, Gholam Ali Haghighat, Masud Yunesian, Ramin Nabizadeh, Naser Hassanzadeh, Amir Hossein Mahvi, Mohammad Hadi Dehghani, and Rahim Davani Hassan Amini* Kurdistan Environmental Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Gholam Ali Haghighat Larestan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Hazrate Zeinab School of Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Masud Yunesian Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Ramin Nabizadeh Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Naser Hassanzadeh Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Payame Noor University, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Amir Hossein Mahvi Center for Solid Waste Research (CSWR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Mohammad Hadi Dehghani Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , and Rahim Davani Shiraz Health Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author AbstractBackground: The frequency of groundwater monitoring for characterizing the groundwater contaminants, such as anions, cations, metals, etc. has been a challenging issue worldwide.Methods: Spatial and temporal variability of fluoride in groundwater resources of Larestan and Gerash regions in Iran were analyzed from 2003 to 2010 using a geospatial information system and the Mann-Kendall trend test to help the local authorities for frequency of groundwater monitoring in these regions.Results: The mean concentrations of fluoride for the eight-year period in the eight cities and thirty-one villages were 1.6 and 2.0 mg/l, respectively; the maximum values were 2.4 and 3.8 mg/l, respectively. Spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal variability of fluoride in overall groundwater resources were relatively constant over the years. However, results of the Mann-Kendall trend test revealed that there is a monotonic trend in the time series of one city and eleven villages for the eight-year period. Specifically, one city and three villages had positive significant Kendall’s Tau values, which mean they have had upward trend in fluoride concentrations over the eight-year period. On the other hand, seven villages had negative significant Kendall’s Tau values, which mean they have had downward trend in fluoride concentrations over the years. In 2003 to 2010, approximately 52% of the Larestan and Gerash areas have had fluoride concentrations above the maximum permissible Iranian drinking water standard fluoride level (1.4 mg/l) and about 116,000 people were exposed to excess amounts of fluoride.Conclusion: We suggest health authorities specialize the monitoring period of fluoride in specific cities or villages in which those that have had positive trend in fluoride concentrations should be monitored monthly (until a standard level achieved) and effective protective measures or cost-effective interventions could be recommended.