FLUORIDE CONCENTRATION IN TISSUES OF FISH FROM LOW FLUORIDE FRESH-WATER LAKES IN KENYA

Analysis of fish tissues of commonly eaten species from lakes, Victori a Nile perch (Lates nilotes) and Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) and Naivash a Black bass (Micropterus salmoides) and Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.), wa s carried out with a view to determining the possible role that fish b orne F could have in F exposure. The mean F concentration by tissue ty pe of fish from L. Naivasha (2.4 mg/L) were in general, higher than th ose of fish from L. Victoria (0.7 mg/L). The browsers (Tilapia) had ma rkedly higher F concentration in all tissue types than the predators ( Black bass and Nile perch). The mean F level in the fillet ranged betw een 0.5 +/- 0.1 and 2.0 +/- 0.1 mu g/g, while that of gill and bone ti ssues ranged between 5.9 +/- 0.9 and 365.0 +/- 35.0 mu g/g. All the va lues were on wet weight basis. Consumption of large amounts of milled fish enriched formula among infants, toddlers and young children, may significantly raise the risk of developing dental fluorosis.