Elsevier

Journal of Hazardous Materials

Volume 137, Issue 1, 1 September 2006, Pages 456-463
Journal of Hazardous Materials

Fluoride in drinking water and its removal

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.02.024Get rights and content

Abstract

Excessive fluoride concentrations have been reported in groundwaters of more than 20 developed and developing countries including India where 19 states are facing acute fluorosis problems. Various technologies are being used to remove fluoride from water but still the problem has not been rooted out. In this paper, a broad overview of the available technologies for fluoride removal and advantages and limitations of each one have been presented based on literature survey and the experiments conducted in the laboratory with several processes. It has been concluded that the selection of treatment process should be site specific as per local needs and prevailing conditions as each technology has some limitations and no one process can serve the purpose in diverse conditions.

Introduction

Water is an essential natural resource for sustaining life and environment that we have always thought to be available in abundance and free gift of nature. However, chemical composition of surface or subsurface is one of the prime factors on which the suitability of water for domestic, industrial or agricultural purpose depends. Freshwater occurs as surface water and groundwater. Though groundwater contributes only 0.6% of the total water resources on earth, it is the major and the preferred source of drinking water in rural as well as urban areas, particularly in the developing countries like India because treatment of the same, including disinfection is often not required. It caters to 80% of the total drinking water requirement and 50% of the agricultural requirement in rural India. But in the era of economical growth, groundwater is getting polluted due to urbanization and industrialization.

Over the past few decades, the ever-growing population, urbanization, industrialization and unskilled utilization of water resources have led to degradation of water quality and reduction in per capita availability in various developing countries. Due to various ecological factors either natural or anthropogenic, the groundwater is getting polluted because of deep percolation from intensively cultivated fields, disposal of hazardous wastes, liquid and solid wastes from industries, sewage disposal, surface impoundments etc. [1], [2], [3], [4]. During its complex flow history, groundwater passes through various geological formations leading to consequent contamination in shallow aquifers.

Presence of various hazardous contaminants like fluoride, arsenic, nitrate, sulfate, pesticides, other heavy metals etc. in underground water has been reported from different parts of India [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]. In many cases, the water sources have been rendered unsafe not only for human consumption but also for other activities such as irrigation and industrial needs. Therefore, now there is a need to focus greater attention on the future impact of water resources planning and development taking into consideration all the related issues. In India, fluoride is the major inorganic pollutant of natural origin found in groundwater. In this paper detailed review on sources, ill effects and techniques available for fluoride removal is done.

Section snippets

Occurrence and sources

Fluoride in minute quantity is an essential component for normal mineralization of bones and formation of dental enamel [10]. However, its excessive intake may result in slow, progressive crippling scourge known as fluorosis. There are more than 20 developed and developing nations that are endemic for fluorosis. These are Argentina, U.S.A., Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Tanzania, S. Africa, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand, Canada, Saudi

Health impacts of fluoride

Fluorine being a highly electronegative element has extraordinary tendency to get attracted by positively charged ions like calcium. Hence the effect of fluoride on mineralized tissues like bone and teeth leading to developmental alternations is of clinical significance as they have highest amount of calcium and thus attract the maximum amount of fluoride that gets deposited as calcium–fluorapatite crystals. Tooth enamel is composed principally of crystalline hydroxylapatite. Under normal

Conclusion

The literature survey and the laboratory experiments have indicated that each of the discussed techniques can remove fluoride under specified conditions. The fluoride removal efficiency varies according to many site-specific chemical, geographical and economic conditions, so actual applications may vary from the generalizations made. Any particular process, which is suitable at a particular region may not meet the requirements at some other place. Therefore, any technology should be tested

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