Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad have used activated jamun seed powder to bring the fluoride content in drinking water to less than the WHO limit of 1.5 mg per litre.
The activated jamun seed acquires a positive charge at low pH and the positive charge attracts the fluoride ions while the negative charge in an alkaline medium repulses the fluoride ions.
The fluoride ion removal increases with a decrease in pH, with maximum adsorption found at pH 3.
They tested it using groundwater taken from Nalgonda village, which is one of the worst fluoride-affected villages in India.
The fluoride content was successfully reduced to 1.5 mg per litre in the groundwater.