An evaluation and distillation of the world's literature on the biologic effects of airborne fluoride resulted in the following presentation of information: An environmental appraisal of man-made and natural sources; A discussion of the transfer of fluoride in the environment, its physical and chemical changes, its regional and local variations, and its biologic transformations; Environmental sampling and analysis of fluoride; The effects of fluorides on enzymes, cells, and isolated organ and tissue systems and its metabolic effect on intact plants, animals and humans; A discussion of some population studies, consideration of population groups that may have some social susceptibility, and guidelines for occupational and environmental exposure. (Author)