Fluoride Levels In Drinking Water In Region With High Temperatures

Piura is a Peruvian region characterized by high temperatures (>38°C) and poor water infrastructure. Some isolated studies suggest high fluoride levels in the region, but given the lack of comprehensive studies, the objective of this study was to assess fluoride concentrations in all districts of the eight provinces of the Piura region. The sample consisted of the duplicate analysis of the 65 districts of the eight provinces of the Piura region, which were analyzed using the direct method with an ion-specific electrode coupled to a potentiometer. Descriptive analysis was done, and the Shapiro-Wilk normality, ANOVA, Tukey HSD and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to compare fluoride concentrations across district and province; a 95% confidence interval was used. Talara province had the highest fluoride concentrations (0.611mg/L), and Huancabamba province had the lowest concentrations (0.141mg/L). Significant differences were observed between the provinces (p=0.037), especially when compared with Talara province (p<0.000). Regarding the districts, significant differences were found between all districts within each province except for Sullana (p=0.331) which showed similar concentrations in its seven districts. There is considerable variability in the fluoride levels of drinking water in the eight provinces of the Piura region. Most districts' fluoride concentration levels are below the WHO-recommended limit of 1.5mg/L for drinking water and below the ideal fluoride concentration for caries prevention, which is between 0.7 and 1.0mg/L, according to WHO and PAHO recommendations.