Fluorine deposition in bone as related to physiological state

Chicks were fed either a corn-soy basal or the same diet with 252 ppm added fluorine (F) from raw rock phosphate. These diets were fed continuously from hatching to 104 weeks of age to both males and females. Birds were sacrificed at 4, 13, 27, 39, 52, 78, and 104 weeks of age, and their tibiae were analyzed for F on an ash basis. At 4 and 13 weeks there were no significant differences in bone fluoride between males and females fed either the basal diet or between the sexes of those fed the added F. However, there were 3 to 10 times greater levels of bone fluoride in the birds receiving added F. At 27 weeks of age, males and females had bone contents of 767 ppm F and 1,066 ppm F, respectively, when fed the basal diet. These values for the F-added groups were 7,000 and 7,900, respectively. The values at 39 weeks of age were 904, 1,530, 8,000 and 9,187, respectively, and for 52 weeks 1,055, 1,906, 8,675, and 9,125, respectively. The values at 78 weeks of age were 1,487, 3,057, 10,300, and 11,975, respectively, and for 104 weeks 1,251, 3,550, 10,895, and 12,454, respectively. This suggests that females concentrate the F in the bones after sexual maturity. The experimental procedure described was also conducted with restricted ovulator birds, but they were sacrificed at 52 weeks of age. This experiment was conducted to determine if the sex or actual egg production was the important factor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)