title: Investigations on activated alumina based domestic defluoridation units.
abstract: Investigations were carried out on the defluoridation of fluoride-spiked ground water in domestic defluoridation units (DDU) with activated alumina (AA). Specific safe water yield (SSY) was determined as a function of AA amount and adsorbent depth. Reuse potential of exhausted AA was assessed by regenerating and reusing AA in multiple defluoridation cycles. High fluoride uptake capacity (FUC) from ground water matrix as well as retaining approximately 95% FUC up to five cycles showed the suitability of AA for defluoridation in DDU. SSY, liters of safe water/kg AA, was dependent on the AA amount and its depth. There was a significant decrease in SSY with the decrease in AA depth in different DDUs, even though the amount was maintained constant. The derived data from four DDUs, with 3-5 kg AA and depth ranging from 5 to 13 cm, showed that DDU design is one of the most important parameter to be considered for optimizing SSY.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India.
authors.forename: Vivek Singh
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Pradeep Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Dwivedi
authors.forename: Leela
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iyengar
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005457:Fluoridation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D005459:Fluorides