Potential of Portulaca grandiflora ‐Derived Porous Material for the Efficient Removal of Fluoride From Contaminated Water and Its Real‐Time Application on Groundwater

ABSTRACT Nowadays, fluoride contamination in drinking water is a notable public health concern. Fluoride consumption at high concentrations (> 1.5 mg/L) can affect one's health and cause conditions such as skeletal fluorosis and dental fluorosis. Although numerous techniques have been developed for fluoride‐contaminated wastewater treatment, adsorption is widely accepted because of its low operational cost, high efficiency, eco‐friendliness, and simple setup. In this study, the leaves of Portulaca grandiflora (P. grandiflora) were utilized as a biomass source to synthesize biochar via pyrolytic carbonization. The biochar was impregnated with an aluminum sulfate solution to load aluminum ions onto the surface and within the pores, thereby producing activated biochar, which was utilized for defluoridation via adsorption. The synthesized material was analyzed by FESEM, EDX, XRD, BET, and FTIR techniques. The effects of various parameters, such as adsorbent dose, initial fluoride concentration, pH, temperature, and contact time, were also studied to remove fluoride from contaminated water. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model were the best fit for fluoride sorption, respectively. Regeneration and cycle studies were conducted to examine the reusability of the biochar. It exhibited superior removal efficiency up to five cycles and thus can be used as a potent adsorbent for defluoridation.