Comprehensive Assessment of Fluoride Content in Groundwater and Its Health Implications in the Sauran District, Kazakhstan
Junusbekov M. Akhmetov N. Seidakbarova A. Turabaeva M. Akimbekov N. Xiangrong L. Nussipov D. Kamenov B. Altynbay N. Tastambek K.
December 2025Engineered Science Publisher
ES Energy and Environment
2025#30
This study evaluated fluoride concentrations in drinking water from 63 sources across 38 settlements in the Sauran District of southern Kazakhstan and assessed related health risks. Fluoride levels ranged from 0.01 to 1.10 mg L-1; 90.5% of sources contained <0.7 mg L-1, and 38.1% contained <0.3 mg L-1. Optimal concentrations (0.7–1.1 mg L-1) were found in only six sourcessome of which were unsuitable for drinking due to high mineralisation. Although the overall water quality was satisfactory, widespread fluoride deficiency indicated limited nutritional value. Hazard Quotient (HQ) values did not exceed 0.33 for children and 0.24 for adults, showing no toxicity risk but suggesting insufficient fluoride intake and an increased likelihood of dental caries, particularly among children. Fluoride measurements in seven widely consumed tea brands showed that tea provides a partial supplementary source of fluoride, but not enough to compensate for deficiency in drinking water. The results indicate that fluoride inadequacy is a regional concern despite generally acceptable water quality. Ensuring optimal fluoride levels should therefore be considered in local drinking-water management and public-health planning.
Fluoride , Groundwater quality , Health risk , Nutritional quality index , Southern Kazakhstan , Tea consumption
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Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Department of Ecology and Chemistry, Turkistan, 161200, Kazakhstan
Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Research Institute of Ecology, 8A N. Nazarbayev street, Turkistan, 161200, Kazakhstan
International Center for Islamic Science and Innovation, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 Al-Farabi Avenue, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, 710054, China
Sustainability of Ecology and Bioresources Institute, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, 71 Al-Farabi avenue, Almaty, 050040, Kazakhstan
Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University
Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University
International Center for Islamic Science and Innovation
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Sustainability of Ecology and Bioresources Institute
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