NIT Rourkela Develops Jackfruit Peel-Based Material That Removes Over 90% of Fluoride From Water
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed a material from discarded jackfruit peels that removed more than 90% of fluoride from contaminated water within 10 minutes under laboratory conditions, offering a potential low-cost solution for affected communities.
The patented technology converts agricultural waste into activated carbon modified with zirconium, which enhances its ability to capture fluoride. The researchers are now planning to develop a physical prototype and assess its suitability for practical use.
Excessive fluoride in drinking water can cause dental and skeletal fluorosis, damaging the teeth and bones of children and adults. Groundwater contamination remains a concern in several parts of India, where affordable water treatment options are needed.
How the Jackfruit Peel Technology Works
The research team prepared activated carbon from discarded jackfruit peels and modified it with zirconium to improve its fluoride-removal capacity.
Prof Susmita Mishra of NIT Rourkela’s Department of Chemical Engineering said laboratory experiments showed that the material could remove more than 90% of fluoride in around 10 minutes under the conditions tested.
Tests involving fluoride concentrations of approximately 1–5 milligrams per litre recorded removal efficiencies exceeding 90%, with results reaching 97% within 10–20 minutes.
Prof Mishra conducted the research with Dr Pratima Minz, a research graduate at the institute. The team secured a patent for the technology under application number 202531080242, dated August 25, 2025.
Potential Alternative to Conventional Water Treatment
Existing fluoride-removal methods include reverse osmosis, ion exchange and activated alumina. However, these technologies have limitations that can affect their wider adoption.
Reverse osmosis can generate substantial quantities of wastewater and remove beneficial minerals from water. Other treatment methods may require chemicals and operational arrangements that can pose challenges in rural and semi-urban areas.
The NIT Rourkela technology uses discarded agricultural material as its starting point, potentially offering a way to combine waste utilisation with water purification.
The researchers estimate the material’s preparation cost at around Rs 37 per gram, based on the electricity and chemicals used in its synthesis. This figure represents the estimated cost of producing the material, not the cost of treating a given quantity of water.
Prototype Development and Further Testing Ahead
The technology has reached Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL 4), meaning it has been validated in a laboratory setting. It is not yet ready for widespread deployment.
The next stage will involve developing a physical prototype and assessing the material’s long-term performance, operating costs and suitability for real-world applications.
Further testing will also be needed to establish whether the laboratory results can be reproduced under practical conditions and whether the material can support reliable water treatment at household or community level.
Prof Mishra said the technology could eventually contribute to affordable, decentralised water purification, particularly in fluoride-affected regions, subject to further testing and validation.
