Determination of fluoride and some metal ion levels in the drinking watersin Kayseri province

Fluorine is one of the most common elements in the Earth's crust. Fluoride is recognized to be the most effective caries-preventive agent. The main so urces of fluoride for people are generally food and drinking water. For thi s reason, the fluoride and also the metal ion (Ca. Cr, Cu, Fe, K. Mg. Mn, N a, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations in the drinking waters collected from the city center of Kayseri and its counties were investigated. In the determina tion of fluoride and of Na and It. an ion-meter with a combination-fluoride electrode and a flame photometer were used, respectively. The levels of Cr , Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb in the drinking waters were determined bq flame ato mic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) utilizing the method optimized previousl y, except for the Ca, Mg and Zn contents, which were measured directly by F AAS. According to the results obtained, the metal ion concentrations in the drinking waters in the studied area are within the safe drinking water reg ulation limits (TS 266) and also the fluoride levels las mean 0.17 mg L-1) are lower than the permissible limit for fluoride (0.8-1.7 mg L-1).