Comparison of Water Turbidity Removal Efficiencies of Moringa oleifera Seed Extract and Poly-aluminum Chloride

• Main Authors: Bijan Bina, Abbas Shasavani, Gholamreza Asghare, Akbar Hasanzade
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Water and Wastewater Consulting Engineers Research Development 2007-03-01
• Series: آب و فاضلاب
• Subjects: Turbidity; Moringa oleifera; PAC; Coagulation; Flocculation
• Online Access: http://www.wwjournal.ir/article_1814_9879675a03dff7b09619061010f09ae2.pdf
• ISSN: 1024-5936; 2383-0905

Coagulation and flocculation are essential processes in water treatment plants. Metal salts such as aluminum sulphate and ferric chloride are commonly used in the coagulation process in Iran. Poly-aluminum chloride (PAC) has been used recently in Baba-Sheykhali Water Treatment Plant in Isfahan. Synthetic coagulants have health problems associated with them and are additionally uneconomical for use in developing countries. In this study, PAC and Moringa oleifera seed extract were compared for their efficiency as coagulants. Moringa oleifera, locally called “oil gaz” in Iran, grows in southern parts of Iran. One variety of this tree, Moringa progeria, is indigenous to Iran. For the purposes of this study, lab experiments were performed using distilled water containing synthetic caoline. Four turbidity levels of 10, 50, 500, and1000 (NTU) and four pH levels of 5, 6, 7, and 8 were used for the jar test. It was found that oleifera seed extract was capable of removing 98, 97, 89, and 55% of the turbidity in the four experiments at optimum concentration levels of 10-30 (mg/l) for all four pH levels of 6 to 8, respectively. PAC, in contrast, removed 99, 98, 95, and 89% of the turbidity at optimum concentrations of 20-30 (mg/l) for a pH level of 8. The results indicate that Moringa oleifera seed extract has little effect on pH level and enjoys higher removal efficiency for higher turbidity levels. Reducing pH level decreased PAC turbidity removal efficiency.