The Challenge

This project aims to provide a cost-effective and affordable defluoridation treatment and monitoring system for local communities in the Dungarpur, Rajasthan district. Many of the residents in this region use groundwater with a high fluoride concentration, affecting their health and well-being. Two defluoridation treatment technologies will be explored, including solar distillation and electrochemical filtration. Low-cost detection methods that will be evaluated will include measuring fluoride concentrations in water samples by inducing a color change after adding an indicator. The color change will be quantified using a simple hand-held monitoring device.

The Purdue Innovation

This project won a Shah Lab Seed Grant in 2021 and is in progress.

The Partners

Purdue Univerisity:

• Amisha Shah, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering
• Chad Jafvert, Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering
• George Zhou, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Ecological Engineering
• Sruthi Dasika, Graduate Student, Environmental and Ecological Engineering

Partner:

• Rehana Riyawala, Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)