FLUORIDE POLLUTION IN GROUND WATERS OF KANDUKUR REVENUE SUB-DIVISION OF PRAKASAM DISTRICT IN A.P., INDIA AND BATCH MODE DEFLUORIDATION USING ACTIVE CARBONS OF SOME PLANT BYPRODUCTS AS ADSORBENTS

摘要

Fluoride is an acute toxin and is deemed to be slightly more dangerous thaneven lead. 48 water samples collected from hand pumps and bore wells belonging to24 gram panchayats (villages) of Kanduku revenue sub division of Prakasam district inAndhra Pradesh, were chemically analyzed for fluoride ion concentrations. High andlow fluoride containing regions were identified on the basis of fluoride levels in thewater samples and also on the prevalence rate of dental and skeletal fluorosis of thestudy area. Further, water samples containing high fluoride levels were tried fordefluoridation by employing Active Carbons of abundantly available low-costplantbyproducts. These materials under optimum conditions of adsorbent dosage, time ofequilibration and pH, were found to be successfully decreasing the fluoride ionconcentration below permissible limits without disturbing drinking water qualitystandards