The potential of the adsorbent prepared from DOJR marketed as cattle food in Japan was identified as an efficient and low cost adsorbent for fluoride using fixed bed column. DOJR was loaded with Zr(IV) ions to develop active adsorption sites for fluoride. Fluoride adsorption performance of column packed with Zr(IV) loaded DOJR was assessed under variable operating conditions such as Zr(IV) loading temperature, initial fluoride concentration, bed depth, initial pH, and flow rate. Breakthrough curve modeling showed that Thomas and bed depth service time (BDST) models were in good agreement with the experimental data. Application of adsorbent investigated in this study to the treatment of actual waste plating solution containing fluoride ion showed successful removal below acceptable standard in Japan using a fixed bed column, hence, Zr(IV)-DOJR can be expected to be a promising candidate for the treatment waste water containing trace amount of fluoride ion in fixed bed column. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.