Adsorption: A preferred technique for fluoride removal from water

Abstract

On the planet earth, ∼2.5 % water is potable and its most of the fraction is present as ice on the earth. In India, large fractions of people rely on this groundwater supply for their domestic needs in which an account of 95 % rural and 30–40 % urban people. However, due to chemical contaminations of groundwater, it has become unfit for drinking. Fluoride is one of the most notorious chemical contaminations of water because of many human health concerns including teeth and skeletal disorders. Both, WHO and BIS have suggested in drinking water fluoride maximum limit should not be more than 1.5 mg/L in any case. Adsorption technique has been given preference over the other approaches of fluoride removal because of its simplicity and easy maintenance. Many inorganic materials have been synthesized by the researchers as these adsorbents are having many advantages in the comparison of activated carbon. This review particularly describes the various sources of fluoride contamination and processes for the removal of excess fluoride from water. Various Factors like pH, Temperature, Adsorbent dose and time that can have a impact on adsorption process has been described briefly.