CHAPTER 3. The Chemistry of Fluorine

Fluoride is an abundant element in the Earth's crust that is incorporated into the body through food and water, or as a therapeutic resource or by other uses in medicine. In nature it is found as fluoride and it is deposited in the body forming fluorapatite both in teeth and bones. Fluoride is one of several compounds related to human health. The chlorofluorocarbons are compounds used as refrigerants, which once discarded can affect the ozone layer of the atmosphere and indirectly human health. Several anesthetics contain fluorine and their metabolism after administration to human beings can release fluoride that causes serious problems to the functioning of various organs. The fluorine isotope of atomic weight 18 is used in medicine for image diagnostic in positron emission tomography. In acidic conditions, fluoride may generate hydrofluoric acid that reacts with the glass, generating compounds that can affect the storage of biological samples and the process of measurement.