DEFLUORIDATION EFFICACY OF TAMARIND SEEDS, GOOSEBERRY AND BANANA PEEL AS AN INDIGENOUS ALTERNATIVE FOR FLUORIDE REMOVAL - AN in vitro STUDY

Background: Fluoride is a widely distributed and regular component of natural waters. Excessive ingestion of fluoride through drinking water results in fluorosis which is a major public health problem. Dental fluorosis results in discoloration and disfigurement of the teeth and skeletal fluorosis affects the bones and major joints of the body. Various adsorbents have been formulated in the past to find a cost effective defluoridation agent. Various indigenous products are being tested to find their potential to defluoridate water. The aim of the present in vitro study is to evaluate the defluoridation efficacy of potential of tamarind seeds, gooseberry and banana peel and formulation (tamarind seeds, gooseberry and banana peel).

Materials and Methods: Extract preparation was done by collecting the sample, washed, air dried for 24 hours, ground to a fine powder, mixed with 100 ml of distilled water, boiled, filtered and made to a neutral pH. Samples mixed with SPADNS reagent and Zirconyl acid solution. This is followed by spectrophotometric analysis. Fluoride calculation is done using the absorbance value.

Results and Discussion: The spectrophotometric analysis showed that the banana peel had an absorbance value of 0.2343 using which fluoride concentration was found to be 757mg/L. Tamarind seeds had an absorbance value of 0.3282 and fluoride concentration of 2375 mg/L.

Conclusion: It was found that banana peel out of the three was the most efficient. Tamarind showed the highest concentration of fluoride. Government must promote these ways of defluoridating as it's easily available to all, and inexpensive.