Alternativas para la eliminación doméstica de fluor en el agua de consumo humano

Abstract

Oxide of magnesium, activated alumina, granular bone and bone chart were evaluated as methods of elimination of fluoride from water in order to propose the most feasible one for its domestic use. The water from the wells of the study area presents fluoride concentrations from 0.53 to 8.9 mg/l. The results indicate that activated alumina removes 42% of fluoride in 10 min, and the calcined bones removes 43% of fluoride in 5 minutes, from water with 8.7 mg/l of fluoride. Both methods could be considered as viable options. To increase the removal of fluoride with activated alumina is necessary to vary the pH being this more complicated at domestic environment. Also, the treated water could absorb aluminum from the alumina solution, which does not occur with the bone chart. The calcined bone is the best option since it does not cause alterations in the characteristics of the treated water, and this material is easy to obtain.