The Removal of Fluoride Ion by Using Metal(III)‐Loaded Amberlite Resins

Fluoride, although beneficial to humans in small quantities, causes dental fluorosis when consumed in larger quantities over a period of time. In the present study, a novel adsorbent was used to remove fluoride from hot spring water in Japan. The adsorbents, an amberlite‐type cation exchange resin, as Amb200CT resin, which is chemically modified by trivalent metal ions such as lanthanum(III), cerium(III), yttrium(III), iron(III) and aluminum(III), were used to remove fluoride ion from hot spring water and experimental results showed that La(III)‐loaded and Ce(III)‐loaded Amb200 resins were found to adsorb fluoride rapidly and effectively. The adsorption capacity of fluoride ion for different metal(III)‐loaded Amb200 resin was in the order La(III) ≥ Ce(III) > Y(III) > Fe(III) ≈ Al(III). The optimum conditions for loading metal ions on resin and the effect of pH and initial concentration of fluoride solution and shaking time and adsorbent doses on the removal of fluoride were investigated in this study.