A comprehensive approach towards efficient removal of fluoride along with co-existing pollutants from real groundwater using electrocoagulation process

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Date
2025-06-27
Authors
Das, Daisy
Nandi, Barun Kumar
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Springer Nature
Published Version
10.1007/s10800-025-02341-x
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Abstract
This study evaluated the effectiveness of electrocoagulation in treating fluoride-contaminated groundwater from Gharbar village, Jharkhand, where fluoride concentrations range from 3.76 to 12.9 mg L − 1 along with other co-existing ions. The order of abundance of anions was sulfate > fluoride > nitrate > potassium > phosphate > chlorine, and for cations, it was magnesium > calcium. Optimal EC conditions were achieved for five groundwater samples (S1 to S5), with fluoride removal efficiencies from 89.58 to 96.40%, attaining the safe threshold of 1 mg L − 1. The process utilizes an electric potential of 12 V, an electrode gap of 0.5 cm, and a treatment time of 3600 s, using aluminium electrodes in bipolar mode. An additional adsorption step with activated charcoal (1 g 3 L − 1 ) for 1800 s enhanced the treated water quality, reducing hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity, achieving fluoride removal rates between 93.45% and 99.82%. To replace laboratory-scale filter paper methods for floc separation, commercial ceramic candle-based filters and carbon gravity filters were employed. Analysis of the sludge via field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the capture of fluoride and other ions in metal hydroxide flocs. Kinetic analysis indicated that fluoride ion removal followed the first-order kinetic model. The optimized electrocoagulation process demonstrated an electric energy consumption of 3.2 kWh m − 3, electrode consumption of 0.2684 g L − 1, and theoretical H 2 generation of 0.3581 L. The operating cost was estimated at 0.5030 US$ m − 3 for electrocoagulation alone and 0.5185 US$ m − 3 with adsorption and filtration, highlighting the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this hybrid approach for fluoride removal from groundwater.
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Keywords
Electrocoagulation , Groundwater contamination , Fluoride removal , Activated charcoal , Aluminium electrodes
Citation
Das, D. and Nandi, B. K. (2025) 'A comprehensive approach towards efficient removal of fluoride along with co-existing pollutants from real groundwater using electrocoagulation process', Journal of Applied Electrochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-025-02341-x
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https://hdl.handle.net/10468/17710
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Tyndall National Institute - Journal Articles
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© 2025, the Authors, under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. This version of the paper has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-025-02341-x