Vol. 7, Issue 7 (2018)

Author(s):
P Senthil Kumar

Abstract:
The objective of the present study was to assess the extend of chronic industrial fluoride (F) poisoning and its effects on adult cattle inhabitating in and around Aluminium and Fertilizers Units at Eloor industrial belt of Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. A field investigation was carried in randomly selected cattle aged three years and above in the vicinity of Aluminium and Fertilizers industries. Cattle showed clinical signs of lameness, dental lesions, bony exostosis, reproductive problems and gastro-intestinal disorders suggesting fluorosis. Fluoride toxicity was confirmed by estimating the fluoride levels in the field and biological samples collected in this area. Samples were collected from the randomly selected ten healthy cattle aged three years and above from University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy as control. The F level in the biological and field samples were significantly higher (P<0.01) than the control samples. From the present study, it can be concluded that aluminium smelter and fertilizers units involved in the environmental pollution with fluorine in the Eloor industrial area and caused incidence of chronic industrial fluoride pollution in adult cattle.