Performances of metals modified activated carbons for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions

•Development and characterization of a novel AC-Al material.•Aluminum loading and impregnation time during synthesis has significant effect on fluoride adsorption.•The effect of certain operating parameters on the removal percentage were optimized.•The Langmuir, Temkin, Sips and Redlich-Peterson isotherm models fit adequately the experimental data with the maximal adsorption capacity was estimated at 13.03 mg.g−1.