Measurement of atmospheric water-soluble fluoride concentrations surrounding of the Fiberglass Plant Area during winter and spring season

Abstract

Fluorides (F- ) were released into the environment may be present in the gas or particulate phase, natural emissions from volcanoes, marine aerosols, and anthropogenic industrial activity sources. The fluoride concentrations in the particulate matter (PM) and gaseous fluoride (primarily in hydrogen fluoride, HF) were sampled in the specific fiberglass company (SFGC), located in the Douliu industrial park, Yunlin County, and the general vicinity directly affected. The sample period was divided into two parts: the first occurred in April, May, July, and September of 2019. The second occurred between February and April of 2020. The samples of PM were collected by using Personal Environment Monitor for collected PM2.5 and PM10, while using Honeycomb Denuder System collected HF. The samples were then extracted with deionized water and analyzed for fluoride amounts using Ion Chromatography. This study was found that the mean of total fluoride concentration (Total F- , F - in PM10 included with HF), in the first period accounted for 780.42 ng/m3 and in the range of 565.68 to 732.74 ng/m3 for the SFGC and the vicinity sampling sites, respectively. And in the second period found that means of Total F- were 661.85 ng/m3 and 658.58 to 827.57 ng/m3 for the SFGC and the vicinity sampling sites. Fluoride was mostly dispersed in the gas phase, which accounted for more than 89 and 90% of the study periods in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Fluoride in the ambient air recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) should not be over 1.0 μg/m3 , preventing effects on livestock, plants and protecting human health. Moreover, the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) reported levels might be slightly higher in urban than in rural locations; however, even in the vicinity of emission sources, airborne fluoride levels usually do not exceed 2 to 3 µg/m3 .