NIT Rourkela develops jackfruit peel-based material to remove up to 97 pc fluoride from water

Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (UNI) Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed a patented water purification material from discarded jackfruit peels that removed more than 90 per cent of fluoride from contaminated water within about 10 minutes under laboratory conditions, offering potential for affordable and decentralised water treatment. The innovation uses activated carbon derived from jackfruit peels and modified with zirconium to enhance its capacity to capture fluoride. Laboratory tests showed removal efficiencies exceeding 90 per cent, reaching up to 97 per cent within 10-20 minutes under the conditions tested. The development could eventually provide an alternative…