FLUORIDE REMOVAL USING ZR LOADED A500P IN COMPARISON WITH ACTIVATED ALUMINA

Fluoride contamination of groundwater, both anthropogenic and natural, represents a major problem. A500P anion exchanger was loaded with Zr ions and precipitated with sodium hydroxide followed by thermal treatment at 60 oC to form Zr oxide in hydrated phase. Fluoride removal by using Zr loaded A500P in comparison with activated alumina was investigated by batch studies from solutions with fluoride concentration 5 mg/L at different experimental conditions. The results indicate that fluoride adsorption occurs immediately over the entire surface of A500P Zr loaded resin, after shaking for 6 h to reach equilibrium, as well as activated alumina. The obtained data indicated the relatively high removal activity of Zr loaded A500P when compared with activated alumina. Furthermore, the investigation of the effect of competitive species such as SO4‑2- and PO43- indicate that both sulphate and phosphate strongly affect the rate of fluoride removal which completely suppressed by reaching 1000 ppm and 1 ppm dose from sulphate and phosphate, respectively. The variation of pH in 2-10 range indicates that the rate of fluoride removal is inversely proportional to pH. Furthermore, the lower pH shows the higher removal capacity.