Selective Fluoride Removal

Fluorides are found in the waste discharges from process streams in a number of industries. Significant amounts of fluoride come from the following industries: semiconductor, photovoltaic, glass manufacturers, electroplating, steel and aluminum, pesticides and fertilizer. The fluoride concentration in untreated effluent can vary over a large range, and the allowable level for discharge depends on the place of disposal. When there is any risk of fluoride seeping back to water supplies, a limitation of around one ppm fluoride is typical. Apart from treatment of industrial waste streams, the other main application of fluoride removal is the treatment of potable water supplies to reduce the fluoride content to 1 ppm or less.