The current work reports the first application of the fluoride removal using zeolite-zirconium powder in three modes of pulsed sonication, continuous sonication, and stirring. The properties of powdered zeolite-Zr were specified using surface analysis techniques (surface area: 109.71 m(2)/g and pore volume: 0.08 cm(3)/g). For all the studied modes, the highest removal rate was observed at pH 7, contact time of 80 min, and zeolite-Zr dose of 3 g/L. Adsorption-desorption experiments were carried out in 6 steps and the fluoride removal was reached to 80% for the final step. The effect of co-existing anions was also studied and chloride and nitrate did not have much effect on efficiency. The powdered zeolite-Zr demonstrated the high ability to remove fluoride from actual wastewater. The data of the present study were well suited to the model of the Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic. The pulsed sonication with a maximum adsorption capacity of 32.98 mg/g has been able to demonstrate better performance in comparison with the continuous sonication and stirring mode. (C) 2020 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.