Clay pots for reducing fluoride concentration in drinking water

Background and objectives Fluoride contamination of drinking water is a major public health challenge in India, leading to dental and skeletal fluorosis. Safe, affordable household interventions are needed to reduce exposure. This pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of locally available clay pots in reducing fluoride concentration in stored drinking water. Methods Ten water samples from different sources in Indore, India, were collected and analysed for baseline fluoride concentration using the SPADNS (sodium 2-(para-sulfophenylazo)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,6-naphthalene disulfonate) spectrophotometric method. Each sample was stored in a clay pot at room temperature for 24 h. Post-storage fluoride concentrations were remeasured. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t-test. Results Mean fluoride concentration decreased significantly from 0.72±0.10 mg/L to 0.26±0.06 mg/L, corresponding to an average 64% reduction (P=0.01). Interpretation and conclusions Clay pots provide a simple, low-cost, and culturally acceptable method for fluoride reduction in resource-limited communities.