A simple method for defluoridation of drinking water at village level by adsorption on Ando soil in Kenya

In this paper a new and simple defluoridation method is presented using local Kenyan soil derived from volcanic ash (e.g. Ando soils or soils with ‘andic’ properties) as a fluoride sorbent. The ability of Kenyan Ando soil to adsorb fluoride was determined experimentally. These results were extented to possible technical application using a one dimensional solute transport model. Based on the results it is concluded that the use of Ando soils appears to be an economical and efficient method for defluoridation of drinking water on a small scale in rural areas of Kenya and other regions along the Rift Zone. Further research is warranted to evaluate its practical applications and social acceptance.