Advances in fluoride decontamination: a comprehensive review of adsorbent materials and strategies
摘要
Groundwater contamination by fluoride ions can arise from natural processes or anthropic activities, such as the release of industrial waste containing fluoride. This contamination poses a significant challenge to the dewatering of groundwater for human consumption. Among the various methods available for water defluorination, adsorption stands out as a prominent technique due to its efficiency in terms of cost, design, and operation. While numerous adsorbents have been employed for fluoride removal, certain limitations persist, including low adsorption capacity, slow adsorption rates, and high costs. These limitations make this method unsustainable, particularly in rural areas where the need for effective defluorination is most critical. Furthermore, the understanding of adsorption mechanisms, considering the properties of the adsorbents, remains insufficient. While many studies identify adsorption as the primary process for fluoride removal, it is plausible that ionic exchange and precipitation also play roles in these processes. Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore additional materials and their potential for fluoride removal. In light of these challenges, the objective of this comprehensive review is to present a systematic, critical, updated, and more in-depth exploration of fluoride remediation through adsorption, focused in an overview of the adsorbents materials used. Then, the aims is to not only address the current limitations in existing methodologies but also to stimulate further research into innovative materials according the adsorption mechanisms.