FLUORIDE EXPOSURE IN CERVIDS INHABITING AREAS ADJACENT TO ALUMINUM SMELTERS IN NORWAY .1. RESIDUE LEVELS

Mandibular fluorine concentrations were determined in 1,425 red deer ( Cervus elaphus), 240 moose (Alces alces), and 424 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) collected in Norway from 1990 to 1993 in seven municipaliti es in which aluminum smelters are located, in eight neighboring munici palities, and in eight reference areas representing background levels. Background fluorine concentration was significantly correlated with a ge in all three species. Roe deer had the highest mean background fluo rine level in each age group, followed by red deer. Due to differences in fluoride exposure, large variations in bone fluorine residues were evident between locations. In Ardal, the district most severely expos ed to fluoride contamination, nine of ten cervids had fluorine concent rations exceeding background levels. The proportions of red deer with fluorine residues exceeding background levels also were high in neighb oring municipalities to Ardal. We propose that roe deer are a better b iomonitor of local fluoride exposure than red deer and moose, due to t heir more sedentary behavior.