APPLICATION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LAM. SEEDS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Abstract

Coagulants play a vital role in treatment of raw water for both human and animal consumption. Aluminium sulphate is the most common and effective chemical coagulant for water treatment. However, chemical coagulants are costineffective, toxic, are not eco-friendly and may also cause severe health issues like cancers and neurologic disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, natural and greener methods of water purification are crucial for safe and effective water treatment. Therefore, alternative natural and greener method of water purification is required. Seeds of Vicia faba, Cicer arientinum, Jatropha curcas, Vigna unguiculata, Zea mays, Vigna mungo etc. have also been used in water purification regimes. Moringa oleifera seeds contain anti-microbial properties and cationic water-soluble proteins (polyelectrolytes) which possess active coagulative properties that can remove the turbidity and heavy metals like Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, etc from raw water, thus can treat impure water efficiently. Therefore, natural coagulants are preferred over chemical coagulants as they are feasible to use, affordable, eco-friendly and less toxic. This review provides explicit information on efficiency and use of M. oleifera seeds in water treatment and their relative comparison with that of routine chemical coagulants. Thus, further collaborative research (industry and academia) on the alternative greener techniques of water purification are still required to gain sustainability in water purification regimes in developing countries.