What are fluorides?
Fluorides are organic and inorganic compounds containing the fluorine element. Only inorganic fluorides are the focus of this Digest, particularly those which are most present in the environment and may affect living organisms. More… Generally colourless, the different fluoride compounds are more or less soluble in water and can take the forms of a solid, liquid or gas. Fluorides are important industrial chemicals with a number of uses but the largest uses are for aluminium production, drinking water fluoridation and the manufacture of fluoridated dental preparations. More…
Fluorine as an element was first detected by Scheele in 1771 and was first isolated by Moissan in 1886. Fluorine is a highly reactive element and hence does not occur in free form in nature but it forms compounds with other elements, which are ubiquitous in nature. Fluorides are the 13th commonest element in the earth’s crust and hence present in every thing we eat, drink and breath.
