Sustainable and Affordable Fluoride Removal (SAFR) is a method for using mildly processed bauxite, an aluminum-rich ore available ubiquitously worldwide, as an adsorbent for remediating field-relevant fluoride concentrations (up to 10 mg/L) in groundwater to reach the 1.5 mg/L limit established by the World Health Organization (WHO) as safe for drinking. Globally, some 200 million people are at risk of developing irreversible crippling deformities (such as dental/skeletal fluorosis) and other detrimental health effects by drinking groundwater contaminated with toxic levels of naturally occurring fluoride.
These problems are repeated in regions with fluoride-rich water throughout the world on every continent. The SAFR method, which won a 2016 R&D 100 award, overcomes these barriers by taking a new approach to fluoride remediation—the use of raw or minimally processed bauxite ore to adsorb fluoride in a batch process. This strategy eliminates the costly, wasteful and unnecessary processing involved in refining bauxite into higher-end products (like activated alumina, a commonly used filter media for fluoride removal), resulting in a more sustainable adsorbent method with substantially lower material, energy costs and carbon emissions.
Each year for more than 50 years, R&D Magazine has honored the 100 best innovations in research and development. We are currently accepting applications for the 2017 R&D 100 Awards. Innovators with an exceptional product developed between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017 should apply. Submissions close April 14, 2017
For information on the 55th Annual R&D 100 Awards and to enter visit http://www.rd100conference.com
