Fluoride Removal from Drinking Water Using Used Tea Leaves as Adsorbent

Abstract

Fluoride concentration in drinking water above 1.5 ppm creates health hazards. In the present investigation the removal of fluoride has been attempted using used tea leaves obtained from college canteen. Characterization studies of used tea leaves were carried out by standard procedures (ISI 1989 and APHA 1995). Used tea leaves were treated chemically and digested in alum. The fluoride removal studies were done by adsorption method on used tea leaves. The effects of contact time, pH and adsorbent dose were investigated. The fluoride removal process confirms to second order kinetics. The adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm. The results show that the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent used tea leaves was found to be 0.253 mg/g. Regeneration is effective using 2 % alum solution in the column.