Substance fact sheet
The background information page contains information and concepts that will be useful in understanding some of the issues surrounding the NPI. It is strongly recommended that you read this before reading the information presented below.
For an explanation of some of the terms used in this page, see the Glossary
| Substance name | Fluoride compounds |
| CASR number | Not applicable |
| Molecular formula | Fluoride: F-; Hydrofluoric acid: HF; Sodium Fluoride: NaF |
| Synonyms | Fluoride: CASR # 16984-48-8; Hydrogen Fluoride (Hydrofluoric Acid): CASR # 7664-39-3; Sodium Fluoride: CASR # 7681-49-4 |
Physical and chemical properties Physical properties: Melting Point (°C): Hydrogen Fluoride -83.55 Sodium Fluoride: 993 Boiling Point (°C): Hydrogen Fluoride: 19.5 Sodium Fluoride: 1700 Vapour Density: Hydrogen Fluoride: 0.15 Sodium Fluoride: -- (solid) Specific Gravity: Hydrogen Fluoride: 0.993 Sodium Fluoride: 2.558 Chemical properties: |
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Common uses Hydrogen fluoride is used to make aluminum, chloroflurocarbons (CFCs), aluminum fluoride, sodium fluoride and other fluoride salts. It is used in the petroleum, chemical, and plastics industries. It is used to separate uranium isotopes. It is used to clean metals, bricks, or remove sand from metal castings. It is used to etch glass and enamel, polish glass and galvanize iron. It is used in brewing and to cloud light bulbs. |
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Sources of emissions Point sources The primary sources of fluoride emissions are the industries that manufacture it or use it in production. Some of the industries that use it in production are aluminium industry, oil drilling and refining, the chemical and plastics industries, agricultural and pesticide chemical manufacturers, dye manufacturers, manufacturers of metal parts. These are emissions to the air unless there is a spill. Diffuse sources, and point sources included in aggregated emissions data Other possible emitters of fluoride are metal cleaning operations, glass and enamel manufacturing and glazing, toothpaste, and fluoride enhanced water. These emissions may be to the soil, water, or air. Natural sources Fluorine is a naturally occurring element in the earth, but elemental fluorine is too reactive to be found in nature. Fluorine is found in nature as part of the mineral fluorspar. Water in rivers or streams that flow over rocks rich in fluorine-containing minerals such as fluorspar may naturally contain dissolved fluoride. Mobile sources No known mobile sources. Consumer products which may contain Fluoride compounds Toothpaste, pesticides, ceramic and glass polishing etching and frosting materials, special dyes, drinking water in some areas may be naturally or artificially enriched in fluoride. |
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Health effects How might I be exposed to Fluoride compounds? Workers in the industries that use or produce fluoride compounds are at greatest risk of exposure. Consumers are most likely to be exposed to fluoride compounds when using consumer products containing fluoride compounds; especially toothpaste or fluoride enhanced water. Residents in close proximity to production and processing facilities using fluoride compounds may also receive very low levels of fluoride esposure. By what pathways might Fluoride compounds enter my body? Fluoride compounds may enter the body by inhaling or ingestion. Relative health hazard On a health hazard spectrum of 0 - 3 Fluoride compounds registers 1.5. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to health, 2 represents a medium hazard and 1 is harmful to health. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the evaluation of its tendency to cause, or not cause cancer and/or birth defects. It does not take into account exposure to the substance. Human exposure is reflected in the NPI rank given to this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as a health hazard is arsenic at 2.3 and one of the lowest scores is ammonia at 1.0.  Health guidelines Worksafe Australia: For hydrogen fluoride the eight hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 2.6 mg/m3. Worksafe Australia reports this product causes severe burns, and is toxic by inhalation. For fluorine the eight hour time weighted average (TWA) exposure limit is 1.6 mg/m3. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (NHMRC and ARMCANZ, 1996): Maximum of 1.5 mg/L (i.e. 0.0015 g/L). See the Additional Information page for current health information. The Australian NOHSC National Exposure Standards Database link is probably the most useful source of information. Note that the emissions data in the NPI database is not directly comparable with these guidelines. What effect might Fluoride compounds have on my health? Fluorides are everywhere throughout the environment, but at very low levels that are not believed to be harmful. Small amounts of sodium fluoride help prevent tooth decay, but high levels may harm your health. In children whose teeth are forming, excessive fluoride levels may cause dental fluorosis with visible changes in the teeth. In adults, high fluoride over a long time may lead to skeletal fluorosis with denser bones, joint pain, and limited joint movement. This is rare. High levels of fluorine or hydrogen fluoride gas can cause muscle spasms, harm the lungs and heart and cause death. At low levels they can irritate the eyes, skin and lungs. Contact with hydrofluoric acid (even diluted) can burn the eyes (causing blindness) and skin, causing severe burns deep beneath the skin damaging internal tissues. This can occur hours after contact, even if no pain is initially felt. Contact with hydrofluoric acid happens mainly in the workplace. Long-term exposures may damage the kidneys and liver. |
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Environmental effects Environmental Fate Hydrogen fluoride may enter the air during production, use and transportation. The gas dissolves in clouds, fog, rain, or snow. This impacts the environment as wet acid deposition ('acid rain'). In the environment it will react with other chemicals present (ammonia, magnesium, calcium) to form salts, neutralising the acid. Environmental Transport Industrial emissions of fluoride compounds can produce elevated concentrations in the atmosphere. Hydrogen fluoride will exist as a particle, which may dissolve in clouds, fog, rain, dew, or snow. In clouds and moist air it will travel along the air currents until it is deposited as wet acid deposition (acid rain, acid fog, etc). In waterways it readily mixes with the water. Relative hazard to the environment On an environmental spectrum of 0 - 3 Fluoride compounds registers 1.8. A score of 3 represents a very high hazard to the environment and 0 a negligible hazard. Factors that are taken into account to obtain this ranking include the extent of the material's toxic or poisonous nature and/or its lack of toxicity, and the measure of its ability to remain active in the environment and whether it accumulates in living organisms. It does not take into exposure to the substance. Environmental exposure is reflected in the NPI rank for this substance (see comparative data below). A substance that scores highly as an environmental hazard is oxides of nitrogen at 3.0 and one of the lower scores is carbon monoxide at 0.8.  Environmental guidelines See the Additional Information page for current environmental guidelines. No national guidelines. What effect might Fluoride compounds have on the environment? Hydrogen fluoride will exist as a particle in the air if released to the atmosphere. It dissolves when mixed with water. Insufficient data are available to predict the short-term or long term effects of hydrogen fluoride to aquatic life, plants, birds or land animals. Concentrated hydrogen fluoride is very corrosive and would badly burn any plants, birds or land animals exposed to it. The concentrations of hydrogen fluoride found in close proximity to sources may adversely affect some species of plants. Small quantities of hydrogen fluoride will be neutralised by the natural alkalinity in aquatic systems. Larger quantities may lower the pH for extended periods of time. Fluorides are not expected to bioaccumulate. |
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Comparative data NPI Rank Approximately 400 substances were considered for inclusion on the NPI reporting list. A risk ranking was given based on health and environmental hazard identification and human and environmental exposure to the substance. Some substances were grouped together at the same rank with 208 ranks in total. Fluoride compounds was ranked as 31 out of the 208 ranks. Total hazard score (human health + environmental criteria) = 3.3.  |
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Sources of information used in preparing this fact sheet
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