Fluoride Adsorption Behavior in Cost-effective Plant-based Bio-sorbents

Concerns regarding the effects of excessive fluoride in water sources on human health have been raised globally. Conventional fluoride remediation approaches generally involve chemical treatment or expensive filtration systems that can introduce additional pollutants, leading to environmental implications. The utilization of plant-based biosorbent materials for fluoride removal holds promise as a sustainable approach to tackle the issue of fluoride in water sources. Utilizing these materials can lead to significant environmental benefits, including reduced toxicity and improved human health outcomes, ultimately contributing to a greener and more sustainable future. This work explores the potential of various plant-based biosorbents for fluoride removal, presenting a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach. The biosorption tests were executed and measured the factors of initial fluoride concentration, contact time, pH levels, and biosorbent dose on fluoride removal bio-sorption efficiencies. At a fluoride concentration of 10 mg/L, all the leaf powder biosorbents demonstrated remarkable sorption efficiencies, achieving removal rates ranging from 90% to 100% at pH 6 and a contact time of 60 minutes. Notably, Hibiscus leaves achieved high fluoride removal efficiency with a remarkably low dose of just 1 g. This study highlights the benefits of exploring plant-based biosorbents as more environmentally sustainable solutions to removing fluoride and other contaminants, which will result in improving human health while also being more environmentally friendly.