Issues of health and disease relating to coal use in southwestern China

In Southwest China, 15 million people suffer from fluorosis, more than 3000 people have arsenism, and 477 people have endemic selenium intoxication du e to use of high fluorine, arsenic, and selenium coal in unvented ovens. Th e highest fluorine, arsenic, and selenium in contents of these coals are 20 00 mu g/g, 35,000 mu g/g, and more than 8000 mu g/g, respectively. This pap er describes the epidemic situation and the causes and pathways of endemic fluorosis, arsenism, and selenosis in Southwest China. The occurrence and d istribution of high fluorine, high arsenic, and high selenium coals are bri efly described. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.