[The use of sorptive properties of bone for reducing supraoptimal concentrations of fluorides in water].

Purpose: Due to industrialization, the content of fluorine in the environment increases leading to many adverse effects in living organisms. Uptake of fluoride by organisms differs, but almost 100% uptake from water is observed.

Material And Methods: This study presents a simple method for removing an excess of fluorides from water down to levels considered not harmful by using animal bone as a sorbent. Sodium fluoride was dissolved in distilled water at 2 and 4 mg x dm(-3). Bovine femoral bone slices or 3-8 mm bone particles were used as sorbent. The temperature was 10 degrees C and 20 degrees C.

Results: Bone not only lowered the fluoride content in the aqueous solution but increased that of Na, Ca, and Mg and eliminated some harmful heavy metals (Zn, Cu). Bone appears to be effective as a sorbent to reduce supraoptimal content of fluoride in drinking water.