Research report Fluoride 47(4)315–319 October-December 2014 Hydrogen fluoride effects on local mung bean and maize cereal crops from peri-urban brick kilns in South Asia Ahmad, Ahmad, Zia, Iqbal, Shah, Mian, Shah 315 315 HYDROGEN FLUORIDE EFFECTS ON LOCAL MUNG BEAN AND MAIZE CEREAL CROPS FROM PERI-URBAN BRICK KILNS IN SOUTH ASIA M Nauman Ahmad, a,* S Saeed Ahmad, b Afia Zia, c M Shahid Iqbal, d Hamidullah Shah, a A Ahmad Mian, e R Ullah Shah e Peshawar, Pakistan SUMMARY: Increased urbanisation throughout South Asia has increased the number and output of the brick kilns that typically surround major cities, but the environmental and health impacts of their atmospheric emissions are poorly understood in Pakistan. We report the negative effects of hydrogen fluoride (HF) emissions from brick kilns near Peshawar, Pakistan on mung bean (Vigna radiata cv. MN 92) and maize (Zea mays cv. Azam). HF air concentrations, and fluoride concentrations of mung bean and maize grains, were greater close to brick kilns than at more distant sites. The 100-grain weight of mung bean and maize close to brick kilns was significantly lower, by about 30% and 45% respectively, than at control sites. These findings, added to evidence of major impacts on local fruit orchards in this area, suggest that fluoride emissions from brick kilns may have a significant impact on peri-urban agriculture in South Asia. Keywords: 100-grain weight; Air pollution; Brick kiln emissions; Food security; Hydrogen fluoride damage; Maize; Mung bean; Pakistan; Peri-urban agriculture; South Asia. INTRODUCTION Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is a major phytotoxic pollutant, which is emitted from industrial sources, including ceramic and, phosphate factories, and brick kilns. 1 The negative effects of HF on crops may be a growing and unrecognised problem in South Asia, due to increases in population and construction increasing the number of brick kilns. 1 Brick kilns in South Asia are often located in and around cities on agricultural land and pollutants emitted from these brick kilns have been shown to directly affect peri-urban arable crops and fruit orchards. 2 These brick kilns emits hydrocarbons (HC’s) nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ). However, HF is likely to be the most important contributor to this local crop damage. 3 Accumulation of fluoride in edible parts of plants can also potentially cause problems for human and livestock health, while crops and varieties vary in sensitivity to HF, and the effects are also modified by environmental conditions. The work reported in this paper extends the study of Ahmad et al., 1 in which severe foliar injury in local fruit orchards close to the Pakistani city of Peshawar, previously of unknown cause, was shown to be due to elevated HF emissions. There are an estimated 400–450 brick kilns operating throughout the year in agricultural areas around this city. Their design is that of a traditional Bull’s a Agricultural Chemistry Department, The University of Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan; b Environment Department, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; c Environment Department, The University of York, UK; d Environment Department, Wageningen University, Netherlands, e Institute of Biotechnology and Genetical Engineering, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan. *For correspondence: Dr Muhammad Nauman Ahmad, Agricultural Chemistry Department, The University of Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan; E-mail: drnumanahmad@aup.edu.pk; phone: 0092919216903; fax: 0092919216520