Assessing the Efficacy of Moringa, Neem, and Tulsi in Remediation of Sewage Water: A Comparative Study.

Abstract

The increase in a population's production and consumption habits causes an exponential rise in household waste, resulting in a lack of clean drinking water which leads to the main cause of water pollution. A cost-effective method is to use herbs as they are abundant in secondary metabolites. The purpose of this study was to understand how indigenous herbs can be utilized for treating sewage water, that can be used by citizens to get access to clean drinking water. A low-cost method was created to investigate the efficacy of herbs such as Moringa oleifera (Moringa), Azadirachta indica (Neem), and Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), in the treatment of sewage water. Four combinations of herbs were selected, and the results were compared with municipal-treated water from a wastewater treatment facility. The samples were tested for parameters such as Estimation of Copper, pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Most Probable Number (Coliform). Coliform levels and copper levels in the herb-treated water were almost one-fourth the level as compared to sewage water. In both parameters, statistical significance was obtained. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.034. The herb-treated samples showed a reduction in the COD and an increase in pH towards neutrality, as compared to the sewage water. In all combinations tested, the herbs were successful in improving the quality of water when compared to the sewage water as well as the municipal treated water. Hence, it can be concluded that herbs are a good natural resource that can be used for the treatment of sewage water, as they are easily available, and the method is sustainable.