Moringa Oleifera and Ceramic Filters for Escherichia coli and Turbidity Removal From Drinking Water

In Kenya, approximately 39% of the rural population relies on unimproved sources of drinking water, with 30% using surface water without any treatment. This poses a significant challenge to public health, with waterborne diseases claiming the lives of 700,000 children under five each year. Ceramic water filters (CWFs) have gained widespread use as an inexpensive method to treat microbial contaminated water for potable use. These filters involve the use of porous ceramic to filter microbes or other contaminants from drinking water. The ceramic filters are effective in reducing turbidity and Escherichia coli (E. coli) levels in water. Studies have reported a reduction efficiency of 88-100% and 3-6.8 LRV against E. coli. However, the use of CWFs is limited by the need for a coagulative procedure to precede filtration, particularly for very turbid water. Native plants, such as Moringa oleifera, have been traditionally used to improve water quality in many countries. The seeds of Moringa oleifera contain proteins with active coagulation properties, making them effective in removing turbidity and microbial contaminants from water. The study presented in this paper investigates the use of Moringa oleifera seeds as a biocoagulant and phytodisinfectant in water purification. The researchers prepared ceramic filters by incorporating burnout material into the clay and tested their efficiency in removing turbidity and E. coli from drinking water. The results showed that the filters reduced E. coli levels from 390±10 CFU/ml to 0.00 - 0.03 CFU/ml, corresponding to an efficiency range of 99.1 to 100%. Turbidity was also reduced from 64.13±0.75 NTU to 0.92-1.77 NTU, equivalent to 97.2 - 98.6% reduction. The study also investigated the use of Moringa oleifera seeds as a biocoagulant in water purification. The results showed that 1g/l of the seeds reduced E. coli load from 260 CFU/ml to 14.5 CFU/ml, equivalent to 94.4% removal. De-oiling the seeds and using the seed cake residue showed similar efficiency in turbidity removal. The study suggests that Moringa oleifera seeds can be used as a low-cost, effective biocoagulant in water purification, particularly in areas where access to safe drinking water is limited. The researchers also investigated the effect of pH on the coagulative and disinfection effects of Moringa oleifera seeds. The results showed that the coagulative and disinfection effects were optimal at pH 7, with a slight decrease in effectiveness at pH 5 and 9. The study suggests that the use of Moringa oleifera seeds as a biocoagulant and phytodisinfectant in water purification can be optimized by adjusting the pH of the water. In conclusion, the study presented in this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of Moringa oleifera seeds as a biocoagulant and phytodisinfectant in water purification. The results suggest that the use of Moringa oleifera seeds can be a low-cost, effective solution for addressing the global issue of access to safe drinking water. Further research is needed to optimize the use of Moringa oleifera seeds in water purification and to explore their potential applications in other areas.