Original abstract online at
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10934529.2026.2626658
In rural India, fluoride and arsenic contaminated groundwater causes widespread fluorosis and arsenicosis. To remove these contaminants, this study describes the design, synthesis, and practical implementation of novel domestic water filtration system (non-electric) that uses nano alumina as a key adsorbent material and efficiently process up to 3,500 L of water with fluoride and arsenic concentrations exceeding 2.5 mg/L and 300 ug/L respectively at a flow rate of 4–5 L h-1. The nano alumina used was laboratory synthesized and characterized using FTIR, SEM, and XRD. Field studies were carried out in two distinct rural areas: Karkatpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Molu Khedi (Madhya Pradesh) in India. Extensive water quality measurements showed a significant decrease up to 100% in arsenic concentrations and over 95% in fluoride concentrations during early cycles while the filtration system kept physicochemical parameters within allowable bounds. Upon adsorbent saturation, an economical and user-friendly chemical regeneration procedure was used to successfully restore the device’s function, proving its operational longevity and viability. Collectively, these findings highlighted the development of nano alumina based filtering technology as a viable, expandable, and affordable way to reduce the health hazards associated with fluoride and arsenic exposure in susceptible rural populations.
Acknowledgements
The authors of this paper are thankful to DBT & CSIR for the financial support in the form of the project.
Article impact statement
Developed a low-cost, non-electric nano alumina water filter to effectively remove fluoride and arsenic in rural India
Disclosure statement
The authors declare that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
Data availability statement
Data will be made available on request.
Additional information
Funding
No funding was received.
