Fluorine cycle
Article
The fluorine cycle is the movement of fluorine among rocks, soils, water, the atmosphere, sediments, and organisms. Most fluorine in the crust occurs in minerals such as fluorite, apatite, and micas.
Weathering releases fluoride ions into soils, rivers, and groundwater. Their concentration depends on rock type, water chemistry, temperature, mineral reactions, and the time water remains in contact with rocks.
Small amounts of fluoride can strengthen tooth enamel, while high exposure can cause dental or skeletal fluorosis. Plants and animals take up fluorine and return it through waste and decomposition.
Volcanic emissions, sea spray, dust, fertiliser production, aluminium smelting, coal combustion, and industrial processes add atmospheric and local pathways. Sediment burial and mineral formation store fluorine over geological timescales.
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- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorine_cycle