Essentials of specifications for activated alumina in defluoridation technology.

ABSTRACT

Worldwide, fluoride occurs naturally in some aquifers at concentrations above the WHO guideline values or Bureau of Indian Standards or CPHEEO - MUD - GOI parametric values. Fluoride in excess of the permissible limits in drinking water causes a number of endemic conditions referred to collectively as "fluorosis". Endemic fluorosis remains a challenging national health problem in India and Rajasthan is one of the worst affected states in India though a wide range of chemical and physical defluoridation systems were evolved and tried. Still activated alumina is one of the most widely used and liked defluoridation material currently available. Boom in the advanced and versatile alumina technology has opened new vistas to avail the strong potential of selective alumina adsorbents which are application-specific. Non-regenerable and specialty alumina offer tremendous scope to defluoridate drinking water. Indian industries are manufacturing regenerable activated alumina for defluoridation of drinking water. In order to ensure application of an adsorbent, which caters the desired results with minimum interferences, health risks and long service life span, it is inevitable to draw out dimensions which define precisely the attributes of activated alumina. Specifications for activated alumina intended for defluoridation of drinking water, specific operating and performance requirements, and limitations expressed by critical analysis of cardinal characteristics pave way for adoption of acceptable specifications and code of practice at national level.