Use of Distinct Parts of Moringa Oleifera in Domestic Wastewater Treatment (An Analogous Study)

Moringa oleifera is a tree variety native to India and is a highly valued plant, distributed throughout tropics and subtropics. Almost all parts of this plant are being consumed as food and have medicinal applications. Wastewater treatment is also an important aspect of M. oleifera. Current study aims to evaluate the effects of M. oleifera seeds with oil, de-oiled and leaves on the wastewater treatment process. When water extract of all three components was applied to wastewater, it was seen that 99.2% and 99% reduction in turbidity was there in case of oiled and de-oiled seeds at the applied coagulant concentration of 2% and 1% respectively. Lowering up to 96.8% and 96.2% in suspended solids was also observed at the same applied dose. No raise in DO values were noticed in both cases. However, a slight reduction of 12.5% and 16.6% in BOD values were there at 1% applied concentration of stock solution for both oiled and de-oiled seeds. Reduction in COD was only observed in case of de-oiled seeds which was up to 25.3% at applied concentration of 1.5%. No effect on ammoniacal nitrogen was seen after application of all three coagulants in wastewater but nitrate nitrogen decreased uto 50.3% in case of oiled seeds and 51.6% in case of de-oiled seeds at applied concentration of 1.5% for both the cases. Also, no alteration in pH was seen which makes M. oleifera a suitable coagulant as no post-treatment is required. Whereas, in the case of M. oleifera leaves, no positive results were obtained in any of the parameters tested.