1*Research Scholar, Post Graduate Teaching Department (PGTD) of Electronics and Computer Science, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur (M.S.) India; Assistant Professor, Civil Engg Dept, Priyadarshini College of Engineering, Nagpur (M.S.) India. Email: vaishali.kesalkar@gmail.com
2Professor, Civil Engineering Dept, Priyadarshini College of Engineering, Nagpur (M.S.) India. Email: rmdhoble@rediffmail.com
3Assistant Professor, Civil Engg Dept, St. Vincent Palloti College of Engineering & Technology, Nagpur (M.S.) India. Email: kbalani@stvincentngp.edu.in
Fluoride (F⁻) contamination in drinking water is a serious public health issue in many groundwater-dependent regions. Long-term consumption of F⁻ above permissible limits leads to dental and skeletal fluorosis and other health problems. Existing defluoridation methods often suffer from high cost, pH sensitivity, or operational complexity, which limits their suitability for rural applications. In this study a bio-adsorbent, an Aluminium Impregnated Orange Peel Adsorbent (AIOPA) was developed using waste orange peels through acid treatment, aluminium sulfate impregnation, and thermal activation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the F⁻ removal performance of AIOPA under laboratory and field conditions and to understand its adsorption mechanism. Batch experiments showed that an adsorbent dose of 1.5 g/L, a contact time of 6 hrs, and ambient temperature of 30 °C resulted in F⁻ removal efficiencies of 86 to 90 percent for an initial concentration of 9.0 mg/L. Field groundwater tests reduced F⁻ levels from 9.0 mg/L to below 1.5 mg/L, meeting drinking water standards. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm, indicating chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. The Langmuir adsorption capacity was found to be 29.8 mg/g. The key novelty of this study is the pH-independent performance of AIOPA across a wide pH range, combined with its low cost, eco-friendly origin, and strong applicability for decentralized defluoridation systems.
Keywords: Orange peel, Aluminium impregnation, Fluoride removal, Water treatment.
How to cite this article: Kesalkar VP, Dhoble RM, Balani KS. Development and Performance Evaluation of Aluminium-Impregnated Activated Orange Peel Adsorbent (AIOPA) for Fluoride Removal from Water. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(15s): 149-167. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.15s.18
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None