Presence and concentration of fluoride in salt brands distributed in El Salvador

Abstract

In this descriptive study, 25 salt samples obtained in different supermarkets, markets and stores in the city of San Salvador were analyzed. The chemical analyses of fluoride quantification were carried out in the Laboratory of Physical-Chemical Quality Control of Medicines, Cosmetics and Foods of the Center for Research and Development in Health (CENSALUD), of the University of El Salvador. With the method of potentiometry by means of the specific ion electrode device for fluorine brand CRISON, the concentration of fluorine content in each of the samples is determined, resulting in a value in millivolts. These values, through subsequent calculations, were transformed to a quantification in parts per million using a previously obtained standard curve with known concentrations of fluorine (fluorine calibration standards of 1 ppm, 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 50 ppm and 100 ppm) using the regression method. linear. The classification and analysis of the results obtained in this study were based on the fluoride values in salt recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which range from 180 to 220 ppm. Taking this information into account, the analyses showed that, of the 26 samples analyzed, 21 were below the level recommended by the WHO and the remaining 5 exceeded that range.