De-fluoridation of Drinking Water by Co-precipitation with Magnesium Hydroxide in Electrolysis

AbstractA diagnostic of fluorosis, such as dental and skeletal fluorosis caused by excess fluoride in drinking and cooking water, is endemic in at least 25 countries around the globe; the number of patients would be in the tens of millions. Other reports have estimated that more than 70 million people in the world suffer from dental or skeletal fluorosis. Since many people in developing countries rely on groundwater for their drinking water and are unable to access any other water resources, the removal of fluoride from drinking water is urgently needed. In the current research, fluoride (F−) was removed from well water using a novel batch electrolysis system composed of carbon electrodes and two cells separated by a membrane diaphragm with the goal of its application in developing countries. The removal of F− was investigated using synthesized well water with various levels of F− and magnesium (Mg2+) at a constant current. As the electrolysis progressed, Mg(OH)2 precipitation appeared in the cathode cell...