THE RISK OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL CHRONIC FLUORIDE POISONING

Abstract On the basis of individual occupational fluoride loads (IOFN) it was established that under current levels of air pollution of the working area by fluorine compounds, occupational fluorosis can occur in mostly sensitive workers with 66 or more years of accumulated period of work, while the most vulnerable are workers with of 9.4 or more years of accumulated period of work. The results obtained in comparison of clinical data with individual fluoride load, testify that in the high-risk group for the development of occupational fluoride intoxication include workers with an average accumulated period of work of 10.5 years or more and Individual Occupational Fluoride Load (IOFL) as 67,7 or more grams. In the high-risk group there are included workers with an average accumulated period ofwork of 13.7 years and IOFL as 89.8 grams or more. With the use of ultrasound densitometry there was revealed a clear cut dynamics of the increase of the speed of ultrasonic wave with the rise in the accumulated period of work at the plant, which indicates to a gradual increase in bone tissue density.