KOTA: A team of researchers from the Kota University has developed a new adsorbent material which can be used for preparing a low-cost water purifier.
The new inorganic compound has been developed from fly ash and Kota limestone slurry, generally considered as waste materials.
The research team lead by Professor Anshu Rani claimed that the new material is capable of adsorbing or removing fluoride content from water.
Unlike other conventional water-purification methods, this low-cost and highly effective adsorbent will be helpful in defluoridation, a method of reducing the fluoride concentration in water to make it safe for human consumption.
The study further suggests that this method is effective as a water-treatment option in rural areas where people drink water with fluoride contents.
"Abundant availability of fly ash and Kota lime stone slurry inspired us to a develop low cost, effective adsorbent material for removal of fluoride from drinking water, which is mainly ground water in large part of rural Rajasthan," said Dr Rani.
"The new adsorbent can be used for water treatment in the form of powder, candle, filter bags like activated carbon," added Dr Rani. The study was funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, HRD, under Fly Ash Mission, she said.
Drinking water available in over half of the states in the country including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and border districts of Madhya Pradesh contains fluoride.