Many treatment plants rely on poly-aluminium chloride (PAC), a synthetic coagulant that carries health concerns and cost. This study tested whether Moringa oleifera seed could replace it, on both wastewater and groundwater.
Moringa seed powder was applied as a natural coagulant and the treated water was analysed for turbidity, conductivity, BOD, metal content and coliforms.
Key findings
- In wastewater: 98.6% turbidity removal, 10.8% conductivity and 11.7% BOD reduction, plus removal of cadmium, chromium and manganese.
- In groundwater: 97.5% turbidity removal, with 53.4% conductivity and 18% BOD reduction, and lower coliform counts.
- Unlike PAC, moringa did not reduce pH, so no extra pH-correction step is needed.
Why it matters for MORIFA: A broad, quantified set of advantages over the industry-standard chemical — including heavy-metal removal and no pH side-effect — gives strong, citable selling points for water utilities and industrial users.
Caveat: a laboratory study; full-scale dosing and consistency must be engineered.
Summary of: (2016). “Moringa seed powder as coagulant to improve wastewater quality.” IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci., 31, 012033. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/31/1/012033. Summarised by MORIFA; full paper via the link above.