Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Fluoride

Water Quality

7.0 Wildlife

Effects

The effects of fluoride on wildlife are the same as those for people (McKee and Wolf, 1963), and livestock. The problem is more severe for predators with their greater need for unimpaired mobility and good dentition. Predators may also bioaccumulate fluoride (Rose and Marier, 1977). Animals grazing on forage contaminated with high fluoride levels, or drinking highly fluoridated water, could suffer skeletal deformation, mottled teeth and adverse health effects which may impair their ability to compete or survive adverse conditions.

The effects of fluoride on small terrestrial mammals was reviewed by Remington in 1987 and deals almost exclusively with fluoride uptake from air and forage or prey, while the present report is concerned primarily with uptake from water and in determining water criteria. Forage and diet levels are only of concern and taken into account when partitioning the total allowable daily intake among the various sources of fluoride: water, diet, and respiration.

Literature Criteria

Criteria from the literature are summarized in Table 6.1. The surface water criterion for fluoride in Manitoba is 1.0 mg/L for all types of use and all areas (Anon, 1979). Class 4B waters in Manitoba, used for agriculture and wildlife (livestock), should not exceed 2.0 mg/L fluoride (Anon, 1980).

Recommended Criteria

The recommended total fluoride level in wildlife drinking water is a 30-day average of 1.0 mg/L and a maximum of 1.5 mg/L (Anon, 1969; Anon, 1987; and Anon, 1979). CCME (Anon, 1987) has no wildlife criterion.

Rationale

Effects on livestock, wildlife and people are essentially the same, and occur at about the same fluoride levels. Aesthetics of mottled teeth are considered when people are concerned, but only function is considered when livestock and wildlife are concerned. Thus slightly higher levels of fluoride can be tolerated by livestock and wildlife. Fluoride is a cumulative poison when taken at rates exceeding the body's ability to excrete it. Short-lived, smaller animals could tolerate higher levels of fluoride since they would not live long enough to accumulate levels of fluoride which would impair their function. However, levels need to be kept low to protect their longer-lived predators who would accumulate too much fluoride over their longer lifespans.


	Water Quality Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Fluoride 7.0 Wildlife Effects The effects of fluoride on wildlife are the same as those for people (McKee and Wolf, 1963), and livestock. The problem is more severe for predators with their greater need for unimpaired mobility and good dentition. Predators may also bioaccumulate fluoride (Rose and Marier, 1977). Animals grazing on forage contaminated with high fluoride levels, or drinking highly fluoridated water, could suffer skeletal deformation, mottled teeth and adverse health effects which may impair their ability to compete or survive adverse conditions. The effects of fluoride on small terrestrial mammals was reviewed by Remington in 1987 and deals almost exclusively with fluoride uptake from air and forage or prey, while the present report is concerned primarily with uptake from water and in determining water criteria. Forage and diet levels are only of concern and taken into account when partitioning the total allowable daily intake among the various sources of fluoride: water, diet, and respiration. Literature Criteria Criteria from the literature are summarized in Table 6.1. The surface water criterion for fluoride in Manitoba is 1.0 mg/L for all types of use and all areas (Anon, 1979). Class 4B waters in Manitoba, used for agriculture and wildlife (livestock), should not exceed 2.0 mg/L fluoride (Anon, 1980). Recommended Criteria The recommended total fluoride level in wildlife drinking water is a 30-day average of 1.0 mg/L and a maximum of 1.5 mg/L (Anon, 1969; Anon, 1987; and Anon, 1979). CCME (Anon, 1987) has no wildlife criterion. Rationale Effects on livestock, wildlife and people are essentially the same, and occur at about the same fluoride levels. Aesthetics of mottled teeth are considered when people are concerned, but only function is considered when livestock and wildlife are concerned. Thus slightly higher levels of fluoride can be tolerated by livestock and wildlife. Fluoride is a cumulative poison when taken at rates exceeding the body's ability to excrete it. Short-lived, smaller animals could tolerate higher levels of fluoride since they would not live long enough to accumulate levels of fluoride which would impair their function. However, levels need to be kept low to protect their longer-lived predators who would accumulate too much fluoride over their longer lifespans.