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17th Jun
2001: Professor Roger Masters
Roger D Masters
Professor Roger D. Masters
Research Professor of Government & Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor Emeritus
President, Foundation for Neuroscience & Society
310 Gerry Hall - HB 6222
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
Office telephone: (603) 646-2153
Office FAX: (603) 646-0508
June 17, 2001
Silicofluorides and Higher Blood Lead
At present, U.S. public water systems serving
over 140 million people are fluoridated with 200,000 tons of commercial
grade hydrofluosilicic acid (H2SiF6) and sodium silicofluoride (Na2SiF6),
together called "silicofluorides" (or "SiFs"). Data from numerous studies
show that, taking economic, social and racial factors into account, where
silicofluorides are used, children absorb more lead from the environment,
and there are higher rates of diseases and behavioral problems associated
with lead poisoning (including hyperactivity, substance abuse, and violent
crime).
Although some early studies showed differences
between sodium fluoride and sodium silicofluoride, to this day the
substitution of silicofluorides in public water treatment facilities has
never been subjected to appropriate animal or human testing. Recently, the
Assistant Administrator of the EPA admitted to Congress that his agency had
no data on SiF toxicity and the Chief of the Treatment Technology Evaluation
Branch at the National Risk Management Research Laboratory confirmed that
the EPA has "no" data on the "health and behavioral effects of fluosilicic
acid."
Despite claims of safety by oral health
officials, laboratory research in Germany revealed that silicofluorides do
not dissociate completely and have important biological effects. To follow
up on this issue, we have compared children's blood lead levels in
communities using SiF treated water with communities using sodium fluoride
or with non-fluoridated water. In three separate samples, totalling over
400,000 children, SiF treated municipal water is ALWAYS significantly
associated with increased blood lead levels in children.
This effect was evident in a Massachusetts
survey of lead levels in 280,000 children (see graph for children exposed to
SiF from the Greater Boston water system, from towns that add SiF locally,
or from communities using sodium fluoride, and towns without fluoridation).
For the state of New York, data was available on venous blood lead levels
for 151,225 children in communities of 15,000 to 75,000. Controlling for
other factors associated with higher blood lead, silicofluorides were again
significantly associated with higher uptake of lead from the environment.
For black children, who are especially at risk for high blood lead, those in
towns using SiF were less likely to have low blood lead and more likely to
have lead over 10µg/dL. To confirm that these results are not due to other
socio-economic or demographic factors, additional statistical tests were run
(see two graphs below).
The third study concerned children's blood
lead levels in the National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES
III), which had reports for 7224 children from 80 counties with populations
over 500,000. Since only 4 of these counties had any communities that used
sodium fluoride, analysis of the NHANES III data focused on the percentage
of the entire county population exposed to silicofluoride treated water.
Among the 1543 children of all ages from large
urban counties with over 80% of the population exposed to fluoridation
(almost all of whom receive water treated with SiF), average blood lead was
5.12 µg/dL whereas the average for 1139 children in low fluoride exposure
counties was 3.64 µg/dL Blood lead in the 473 children sampled from the
medium fluoridation counties was 3.23 µg/dL, which was significantly
different from the high fluoridation counties but not from either low
fluoridation counties or those with unknown fluoridation status, where
average blood lead levels were 3.16 µg/dL (S.D. 2.83). Controlling for the
Poverty, the effect of SiF use was highly significant (p < .0001). When the
sample is divided by age and race, these findings provide six separate
samples in which SiF is associated with high blood lead (see Graphs).
In all three populations studied, those
children in each racial category and each age group who were highly likely
to be exposed to silicofluorides differ strongly in levels of blood lead
from those not exposed. This conclusion was further checked by analyzing
available data for health and behavioral traits that have been associated
with high blood lead (such as violent crimes, cocaine use and asthma). In
each case, those exposed to silicofluoride treated water were more likely to
have behavioral or health problems that are more likely among those with
high lead in their bodies.
The injection of silicofluorides in public
water supplies is a practice whose elimination could possibly contribute to
reduced rates of learning disabilities, substance abuse, violent crime, and
asthma (all connected with lead poisoning and other toxins). Whatever the
benefits to teeth (and this is highly controversial), our research shows
that the issues facing the public concern silicofluoride chemistry,
toxicology, and the linkage of neurotoxins with behavior or health. Before
SiF chemicals are used, citizens must know that they are safe for all.
For more information, see:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rmasters/ahabs.htm.
(Note: from this site, that one can download an English translation of Westendorf's studies of silicofluorides, which have not hitherto been
available in the U.S.)
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