RE: [compost_tea] Flouride in water question...

From: Tom Jaszewski <tom_at_livesoil.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2004 16:53:42 -0700

According to the EPA, the fluoridation chemicals used in the US have, as in
England, NEVER BEEN TESTED for safety.

http://www.fluorideaction.org/images/letters/epa-masters.jpg

 

Noting, moreover, that less than 10% of US fluoridated water today is
treated with sodium fluoride while over 90% is treated with one of the SiFs
which have never been tested for health safety; and

Further noting that the premise that “fluoride is fluoride” whatever it=
s
source is false and dangerously misleading based on evidence that water
treated with SiFs is not just like water treated with sodium fluoride as
confirmed by (a) epidemiological analyses of several health and behavioral
effects comparing communities using SiFs with communities using sodium
fluoride or not adding fluoride; (b) biological studies comparing effects o=
f
ingested water treated with sodium fluoride with effects of ingested water
treated with SiFs; (c) disputed assurances concerning the “virtually tota=
l”
dissociation of the SiFs under real use conditions; (d) an advisory letter
from the Director of the EPA Water Supply and Water Resources Division in a
letter67 dated March 15, 2001 summarizing the position of the highest
scientific authorities of the EPA reached in January 2001 which notes the
following:

“Several fluoride chemistry related research needs were identified
including; (1) accurate and precise values for the stability constants of
mixed fluorohydroxo complexes [read “silicofluoride dissociation residues=
”]
with aluminum (III), iron (III) and other metal cations likely to be found
under drinking water conditions and (2) a kinetic model for the dissociatio=
n
and hydrolysis of fluosilicates and stepwise equilibrium constants for the
partial hydrolysis products.”

thus admitting that EPA scientific leaders are not satisfied with assurance=
s
given by their own technical staffs of the health safety of SiFs on two
counts: (i) possible formation of toxic complexes with aluminum, iron and
other cations commonly present in water plant water and (ii) potential toxi=
c
effects from SiF dissociation residues in municipal drinking water that may
be present despite predictions made by EPA and others for SiF dissociation.=
 

http://www.fluoridealert.org/APHA-silicofluorides.htm

• <http://www.fluorideaction.org/pesticides/sodium-fluoride-page.htm>
Sodium fluoride. It's main known use is in wood preservatives. However,
sodium fluoride is designated as a "List 4 Inert" by US EPA and is approved
for use in pesticidal formulations. US EPA treats "Inerts" as confidential
proprietary information which means the public is denied the right to know
which pesticides contain them, or on what crops they are used. "List 4
Inerts" are approved for use in the US National Organic Program administere=
d
by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2000, approximately 125
individuals contacted USDA requesting that the use of sodium fluoride be
denied in organic agriculture - all to no avail. Because fluoride
accumulates in the human body, the public has a right to know all exposure
sources.

 

In fluoridated areas, drinking water obtained from surface water with an
average fluoride concentration of 0.1-0.2 ppm16 is raised to the "optimal"
level of 0.7-1.2 ppm by the addition of sodium fluoride, hydrofluosilicic
acid, or sodium silicofluoride. [Note: In 1985, the EPA raised the Maximum
Contaminant Level to 4 ppm.]


3.2.1.3 Sodium fluoride


Data concerning the total annual consumption or production of sodium
fluoride worldwide were not identified. Sodium fluoride is usually prepared
from hydrofluoric acid and sodium carbonate or sodium hydroxide (Neumülle=
r,
1981); it is used in the controlled fluoridation of drinking-water, as a
preservative in certain glues, in glass and enamel production, as a flux in
steel and aluminium production, as an insecticide and as a wood preservativ=
e
(Neumüller, 1981).


3.2.1.4 Fluorosilicic acid


Fluorosilicic acid is an aqueous solution that is most commonly manufacture=
d
as a co-product from the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers. It is used
widely for the fluoridation of drinking-water, in which it hydrolyses to
release fluoride ions. When used for the fluoridation of drinking-water,
fluorosilicic acid should meet appropriate standards, such as those
published by the American Water Works Association and the European Committe=
e
for Standardization or other approved schemes for drinking-water chemicals.=
 


3.2.1.5 Sodium hexafluorosilicate


Sodium hexafluorosilicate, like fluorosilicic acid, is used in the
fluoridation of drinking-water. It is normally completely dissolved in wate=
r
prior to dosing, when it hydrolyses to give fluoride ions. When used for
drinking-water fluoridation, it too should meet appropriate standards of
purity for drinking-water chemicals.


4.1.3 Soil


Factors that influence the mobility of inorganic fluorides in soil are pH
and the formation of aluminium and calcium complexes (Pickering, 1985;
Environment Canada, 1994).

In more acidic soils, concentrations of inorganic fluoride were considerabl=
y
higher in the deeper horizons. The low affinity of fluorides for organic
material results in leaching from the more acidic surface horizon and
increased retention by clay minerals and silts in the more alkaline, deeper
horizons (Davison, 1983; Kabata-Pendias & Pendias, 1984). This distribution
profile is not observed in either alkaline or saline soils (Gilpin &
Johnson, 1980; Davison, 1983). The fate of inorganic fluorides released to
soil also depends on the chemical form, rate of deposition, soil chemistry
and climate (Davison, 1983).

Fluoride in soil is mainly bound in complexes. The maximum adsorption of
fluoride to soil was reported to occur at pH 5.5 (Barrow & Ellis, 1986). In
acidic soils with pH below 6, most of the fluoride is in complexes with
either aluminium or iron (e.g., AlF2+, AlF2+, AlF30, AlF4–, FeF2+, FeF2+,
FeF30) (Perrott et al., 1976; Murray, 1984b; Elrashidi & Lindsay, 1986).
Fluoride in alkaline soils at pH 6.5 and above is almost completely fixed i=
n
soils as calcium fluoride, if sufficient calcium carbonate is available
(Brewer, 1966).

Fluoride binds to clay by displacing hydroxide from the surface of the clay
(Huang & Jackson, 1965; Bower & Hatcher, 1967; Meeussen et al., 1996). The
adsorption follows Langmuir adsorption equations and is strongly dependent
upon pH and fluoride concentration. It is most significant at pH 3–4, and=
 it
decreases above pH 6.5.

Pickering et al. (1988) determined changes in free fluoride ions and total
fluoride levels following equilibration of either poorly soluble fluoride
species, such as calcium fluoride and aluminium fluoride, or wastes from
aluminium smelters. The experiments were carried out on materials that had
different cation-exchange capacities, such as synthetic resins, clay
minerals, manganese oxide and a humic acid. Increased amounts of fluoride
were released from fluoride salts and fluoride-rich wastes when solids
capable of exchanging cations were present. The effect was greatest when
there were more exchange sites available and when the fluoride compound
cation had greater affinity for the exchange material. In a few cases,
soluble complex ions were formed when the released fluoride attacked the
substrate, such as illite or alumina wastes.

Fluoride is extremely immobile in soil, as determined by lysimeter
experiments. MacIntire et al. (1955) reported that 75.8–99.6% of added
fluoride was retained by loam soil for 4 years. Fluoride retention was
correlated with the soil aluminium content. The leaching of fluoride
occurred simultaneously with the leaching of aluminium, iron and organic
material from soil (Polomski et al., 1982). Soil phosphate may contribute t=
o
the mobility of inorganic fluoride (Kabata-Pendias & Pendias, 1984).
Oelschläger (1971) reported that approximately 0.5–6.0% of the annual
addition of fluoride (atmospheric pollution and artificial fertilizers) to =
a
forest and agricultural areas was leached from the surface to lower soil
horizons. Arnesen & Krogstad (1998) found that fluoride (added as sodium
fluoride) accumulation was high in the upper 0–10 cm of soil columns, whe=
re
50–90% of the accumulated fluoride was found. The B-horizons sorbed
considerably more fluoride than the Ah-horizons, due to higher content of
aluminium oxides/hydroxides. A study by McLaughlin et al. (2001) involving
long-term application of phosphate fertilizers has shown a large portion of
fluoride applied as impurities in the fertilizer to remain in the 0- to
10-cm depth of the soil profile.

In sandy acidic soils, fluoride tends to be present in water-soluble forms
(Shacklette et al., 1974). Street & Elwali (1983) determined the activity o=
f
the fluoride ion in acid sandy soils that had been limed. Fluorite was show=
n
to be the solid phase controlling fluoride ion activity in soils between pH
5.5 and 7.0. At pH values below 5.0, the fluoride ion activity indicated
supersaturation with respect to fluorite. These data indicate that liming o=
f
acid soils may precipitate fluorite, with a subsequent reduction in the
concentration of fluoride ion in solution.

Murray (1984b) reported that low amounts of fluoride were leached from a
highly disturbed sandy podzol soil of no distinct structure. Even at high
fluoride application rates (3.2–80 g per soil column of diameter 0.1 m wi=
th
a depth of 2 m), only 2.6–4.6% of the fluoride applied was leached in the
water-soluble form. The pH of the eluate increased with increasing fluoride
application, and this was probably due to adsorption of fluoride, releasing
hydroxide ions from the soil metal hydroxides. Over time, the concentration
of water-soluble fluoride decreased due to increased adsorption on soil
particles.

Mean soil concentrations in Pennsylvania, USA, were 377, 0.38 and 21.7 mg/k=
g
for total fluoride, water-soluble fluoride and resin-exchangeable fluoride,
respectively. The authors suggested that fluoride is relatively immobile in
soil, since most of the fluoride was not readily soluble or exchangeable
(Gilpin & Johnson, 1980).

The water-soluble fluoride in sodic surface soil treated with gypsum
increased with increasing exchangeable sodium per cent (Chhabra et al.,
1979). The increase in exchangeable sodium per cent also caused an increase
in soil pH, which in turn caused an increase in water-soluble fluoride.
Incubation studies revealed that a major portion of the added fluoride was
adsorbed to soil within the first 8 days. Adsorption to soil followed
Langmuir isotherms up to an equilibrium soluble fluoride concentration (11.=
4
mg/litre), with precipitation at higher concentrations.

Calcium fluoride was formed in soils irrigated with fluoride solutions.
Calcium fluoride is formed when the fluoride adsorption capacity is exceede=
d
and the fluoride and calcium ion activities exceed the ion activity product
of calcium fluoride (Tracy et al., 1984). Less than 2% of applied fluoride
was measured in the leachate, and between 15 and 20% of added fluoride was
precipitated as calcium fluoride. Fluoride was precipitated in the upper
profile, although the authors expected that once the adsorption mechanisms
were exceeded, soluble fluoride would leach deeper into the soil with
continued irrigation.

A large fraction of the fluoride in topsoil sampled at a distance of 0.5–=
1.0
km from an aluminium smelter was reported to be in water-soluble form
(Polomski et al., 1982). The authors concluded that the fluoride was presen=
t
as calcium fluoride.

Breimer et al. (1989) determined the vertical distribution of fluoride in
the soil profiles sampled near an industrial region. In calcareous soils,
fluoride (as extractable with hydrochloric acid) was restricted to the top
40–50 cm, probably due to the precipitation of calcium fluoride in the
presence of lime. A slight leaching of fluoride into the Bt and C horizons
was reported in non-calcareous soils. Water-extractable fluoride showed an
increase with depth in the A horizons and subsequently decreased to base
levels in the lower subsoil.

The adsorption of fluoride from the water phase may be an important
transport characteristic in calcareous soils at low flow rates, but this
exchange may be rate-limited at high flow rates (Flühler et al., 1982).
Dissolved fluoride concentrations may be high around the root zone in soils
with a high fluoride input such as from atmospheric deposition. The high
concentrations exist only for a limited time until the fluoride is withdraw=
n
from the solution. The adsorption isotherm was reported to be non-linear
between initial concentrations of 10 and 50 mg fluoride/litre. Retention of
fluoride in uncontaminated calcareous soil was higher than retention in
calcareous soil from areas with fluoride contamination. The adsorption and
desorption of fluoride in acidic soil were not related to previous fluoride
contamination.

Fluoride-containing solutions increased the mobilization and leaching of
aluminium from soils. Leaching of aluminium was reported to be greater from
soil contaminated from an aluminium smelter than from uncontaminated soil
(Haidouti, 1995). In the uncontaminated soil, losses of aluminium from the
acid soil were higher than those from the calcareous soil. Arnesen (1998)
also found that fluoride can solubilize aluminium, iron and organic materia=
l
and can increase soil pH through exchange with hydroxide ions.

Unlike other soluble salts, fluoride was not leached from naturally
salinized salt-affected soil. It was redistributed within the soil profile
(Lavado et al., 1983). The adsorption of fluoride to soils increased with
decreasing pH within the pH range 8.5–6. Retention of fluoride in the soi=
l
was positively correlated with ammonium acetate extractable iron.

 

http://www.intox.org/databank/documents/chemical/fluoride/ehc227.htm#1.8

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: soilfoodweb_at_aol.com [mailto:soilfoodweb_at_aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 1:11 AM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Flouride in water question...

 

Hi Thomas -

 

Luckily fluoride de-gases pretty rapidly. And if there is a concern, then
addition of a little organic matter BEFORE using the water would take care
of the problem.

 

Fluoride is such a reactive molecule that it will complex rapidly with just
about anything. I guess I don't worry about it much, and we don't see much
effect when making compost, or tea.

 

As long as the water is well-aerated before use.

 

Of course, I am always open to hearing more evidence that fluoride is havin=
g
an effect. We just don't have much evidence of good or bad in soil. No
evidence for a cumulative effect, but that may only be because no one has
looked.

 

I would prefer that fluoride not be put in water, but I don't have enough
money to combat that group of big-money folks. Wish I did, but.....

 

Elaine R. Ingham
Soil Foodweb Inc., Corvallis, Oregon
Soil Foodweb Inc., Port Jefferson, New York
Soil Foodweb Institute, Lismore Australia
Soil Foodweb Institute Cambridge, New Zealand
Soil Foodweb Inc., Oosterbeck, The Netherlands
Laboratorios de Soil Foodweb, Culiacan, Mexico
Soil Foodweb Inc., Jerome, Idaho
Soil Foodweb Inc., South Africa






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Received on Mon Oct 04 2004 - 23:51:24 EDT

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