Jackfruit Peel Could Help Clean Water: NIT Rourkela Team Removes 90% of Harmful Fluoride

NIT Rourkela researchers transformed a commonly discarded part of jackfruit into a water-treatment material. They made activated carbon from the peel, then modified it with zirconium. The goal was to turn agricultural waste into a useful resource while addressing fluoride contamination in drinking water.

In laboratory experiments, the material treated water containing around 1–5 milligrams of fluoride per litre. It removed more than 90% of the fluoride, with recorded efficiencies above 90–97% within 10–20 minutes. Zirconium improved the activated carbon’s ability to capture fluoride.

The result is promising, but the material is not yet ready for community use. The technology has reached Technology Readiness Level 4, meaning it has been validated in a laboratory environment. Researchers still need to build a physical prototype and test long-term performance, practical operation and costs.

Fluoride is a substance that occurs naturally in water. In small or suitable amounts, its presence is not the concern described in the article. The problem arises when drinking water contains too much fluoride and people consume it over a long period.

The article connects prolonged exposure to fluorosis, a condition that can affect both children and adults. Fluorosis can damage teeth and bones. This makes fluoride contamination an important drinking-water issue, especially in places where groundwater contains excess fluoride.

The jackfruit-peel research focuses on removing that excess fluoride before people drink the water. Its material captured more than 90% of fluoride in laboratory tests. However, further testing is needed before the approach can be used in homes or community water systems.

The laboratory results were strong: the jackfruit-peel material removed more than 90% of fluoride from contaminated water. The researchers tested water containing around 1–5 milligrams of fluoride per litre. These results suggest the material can act quickly under the conditions used in the experiments.

The article reports removal efficiencies of over 90–97% within 10–20 minutes. It also highlights that more than 90% was removed in approximately 10 minutes. The treatment therefore combined a high reported removal rate with a relatively short laboratory contact time.

These figures apply only to the tested laboratory conditions. The material has reached Technology Readiness Level 4, not full community deployment. Researchers still need to test a physical prototype, long-term performance and operating costs in practical conditions.

The researchers first converted discarded jackfruit peel into activated carbon. This created the basic material used for purification. They then modified that carbon with zirconium, a metal selected because it improved the material’s ability to capture fluoride from water.

In practical terms, contaminated water contacts the modified carbon, and fluoride is captured by the treatment material. The article does not provide a more detailed chemical description of the capture process. It does show the outcome: the modified material removed more than 90% of fluoride in laboratory tests.

The combination matters because it links two functions. Jackfruit peel supplies an agricultural-waste starting material, while zirconium enhances fluoride capture. The approach remains under development, however. Researchers must build a physical prototype and examine performance, operating costs and long-term use before wider deployment.

The jackfruit-peel material is being explored as a potentially affordable alternative for fluoride removal. It uses an agricultural by-product rather than relying only on established treatment systems. This could be useful for rural and semi-urban communities where groundwater contains excess fluoride.

The article contrasts it with reverse osmosis, which can waste considerable amounts of water and remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Other methods, including ion exchange and activated alumina, also have limitations. These include using chemicals that can raise environmental concerns.

The new material may eventually support decentralised water-treatment systems closer to affected communities. However, the article presents it as an early laboratory innovation, not a proven replacement. Researchers still need to test a physical prototype, long-term performance and operating costs before judging how it compares in real-world use.

The main health concern described is fluorosis, which can develop when people drink water containing too much fluoride over a long period. The article identifies this as a risk for communities whose groundwater has excess fluoride.

Fluorosis can damage teeth and bones. It can affect both children and adults, so the concern is not limited to one age group. This is why removing excess fluoride from drinking water matters, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where contaminated groundwater may be an important water source.

The NIT Rourkela research tests one possible response. Its zirconium-modified, jackfruit-peel activated carbon removed over 90% of fluoride in laboratory experiments. The material still requires practical testing before it can help communities. Researchers plan to study its long-term performance and operating costs as development continues.

Technology Readiness Level 4 means the jackfruit-peel material and its underlying concept have been validated in a laboratory environment. It shows that the research has moved beyond an idea, but it does not mean the technology is ready for routine drinking-water treatment.

The laboratory results were promising: the material removed over 90% of fluoride within roughly 10–20 minutes under tested conditions. The researchers have also secured a patent. These achievements provide a basis for further development, but they do not replace testing outside the laboratory.

The next step is to develop a physical prototype and test the material in practical conditions. The team will study long-term performance and operating costs. These tests will help determine whether the material can work in decentralised water-treatment systems and be deployed at larger scale.