Journal article

Publication year: 1999

Pages: 159-168

Journal: Science of the Total Environment

Volume number: 232

Issue number: 3

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00102-3

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 

The spatial variation of fluoride contamination in the Saxonion part of
the Ore mountains (Federal state of Saxony, Germany) was assessed by
analysing the prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in wild male
roe deer aged 2 years or more (n=794) from this region. The
study area is exposed to increased atmospheric deposition of fluorides,
originating from emission sources in the North-Bohemian brown coal belt.
The severity of dental fluorosis in the permanent premolars and molars
of one hemimandible per animal was assessed based on a scoring system
and a dental lesion index of fluorosis (DLI) assigned to each specimen.
On the basis of the mean DLI calculated for the roe deer originating
from a certain municipal district, the respective deer sample was
assigned to one of seven fluorosis categories, and a map showing the
distribution of these categories was produced. Highest fluorosis
categories were recorded for roe deer samples from the central and
eastern parts of the study area that directly bordered on, or were
located near to, the Czech–German border. A close spatial relationship
between the main fluoride emission sources in North-Bohemia and the
regions with the highest prevalence and severity of dental fluorosis in
roe deer was discernible. The observed regional variation of fluoride
pollution is in accordance with the results of other studies directly
measuring fluoride deposition into the study area or fluoride levels in
vegetation. A main advantage of the method used in this study over other
ways of recording fluoride contamination of wildlife habitats is that
it uses an established and continuously operated system of specimen
collection, thereby enabling efficient monitoring with high spatial and
temporal resolution at very low cost. Moreover, a clearly recognisable
and relevant biological effect is measured which occurs in a
dose-dependent manner over a range of environmentally relevant
concentrations.

Harvard Citation style: Kierdorf, H., Kierdorf, U. and Sedlacek, F. (1999) Monitoring regional fluoride pollution in the Saxonian Ore mountains (Germany) using the biomarker dental fluorosis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), Science of the Total Environment, 232(3), pp. 159-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00102-3

APA Citation style: Kierdorf, H., Kierdorf, U., & Sedlacek, F. (1999). Monitoring regional fluoride pollution in the Saxonian Ore mountains (Germany) using the biomarker dental fluorosis in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.). Science of the Total Environment. 232(3), 159-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00102-3