Shilpakala and Narayana J.
Abstract
In India endemic fluorosis is considered as a major public health problem. The fluoride contamination and its removal approach attract a lot of concern from the scientific community at the global scale due to finite potable groundwater resource. In the present study, Guntral village from the Raichur district, Karnataka has been selected to know the fluoride concentration in ground water. The Groundwater samples were collected from bore wells and analyzed in the laboratory by using Ion Selective Electrode method and it was found that fluoride level from the range of 6.4-9.3 ppm from the different sampling sites. Further in order to remove fluoride, the adsorption method was followed by using Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC.Bark. The column method followed for removal of fluoride from the groundwater proved that 91.7 % after the treatment. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic models were well fitted to adsorption methods. It is clearly evidenced that bark of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC adsorbent acts as one of the most significant and promising adsorbent for the removal of fluoride from the groundwater resources.