Low Cost Deflouridation of Water Using Brick Pieces.

Abstract

Excess fluoride in water causes health hazards to the natural environment. The removal of fluoride was attempted using natural brick pieces of two sizes 6.3- 4.75 mm and 16-12 mm. Each material was set up in a PVC column and defluoridation capacities of these materials were studied with respect to initial concentration of fluoride and time. Concentration of fluoride in water is estimated for corresponding contact time using kinetic up flow equations. The study reveals that the estimated concentrations satisfactorily fit the measured concentrations and bricks of size 6.3 - 4.75 mm have good fluoride removal capacity of 90.33% for an initial concentration of 3mg/l, 61.85% for removing fluoride of 7mg/l and a brick of size 16-12 mm has an efficiency of 79.33% and 48.25 % respectively.