Fluoride is a chemical that occurs naturally within many types of rocks. The weathering of primary rocks and leaching of fluoride-containing minerals in soils, human activities, can yield fluoride rich groundwater. Fluorosis is a dental or skeletal disease mainly due to ingestion of water containing high concentration of fluoride over long periods of time. In China, fluorosis has been reported in 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities except Shanghai. Populations suffering from dental and skeletal fluorosis has been estimated to be 45 million and 2.6 million, respectively.

The main objectives of this project are to develop synthesized mineral adsorbents based on the results of research and previous studies, which will be more efficient, low cost, stable, controllable and reproducible than current adsorbents. A new defluorination system equipped with the synthesized adsorbent will be developed, thus facilitating the application of fluoride removal techniques in rural China.