Moringa oleifera Seed Powder for Improvement of the Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality of Sullage and River Water

Moringa oleifera Seed Extracts for Improvement of Water Quality

Abstract

Water security is becoming an increasingly more alarming global issue hence the need for more sustainable approaches to wastewater treatment and water remediation. This study explores the capacity of extracts of the powdered seed of Moringa oleifera to improve the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of water from Okporoama stream in Umuariaga, and sullage from the cafeteria of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, both in Umudike, Nigeria. Following the application of the powder extracts, the variations in selected physicochemical and microbiological parameters of the water samples were monitored using standard techniques. The results revealed that for sullage and river water samples respectively, turbidity reduced by 60% and 63.6%; total organic carbon by 62% and 68.1%; chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 68.5% and 63.7% and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by 82.2% and 85.7%. pH values dropped from relatively neutral levels of around 7.0 to about 6.0 for both sullage and river water. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive correlation between BOD₅ and COD for both river water and sullage. The observed biodegradability indices were 0.430 and 0.412 for sullage and river water respectively. The heterotrophic and coliform bacteria were completely removed by around day 5 of the study. The findings established the efficiency of M. oleifera seed powder as a coagulant in wastewater treatment and a biotreatment agent for the improvement of surface water quality.