Assessment of Water Purification Potential of Moringa Oleifera Seeds
[1]
Eze, V. C., Department of Microbiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B.7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
[2]
Ananso, J. D., Department of Microbiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, P.M.B.7267, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.
The water purification potential of the seeds of Moringa oleifera (drumstick plant) was assessed. The microbiological and physicochemical properties of two surface water sources (Iyi-amaya and Anyamgbe streams) before and after treatment with different concentrations of Moringa oleifera seed solution were investigated. The concentrations of Moringa seed solution used were 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%. The phytochemical analysis of the seeds powder was carried out. The microbial analysis of the water samples from Iyi-amaya and Anyamgbe streams before treatment showed that the mean microbial counts were total aerobic bacterial plate count, 2.33 x 102 ± 0.8cfu/mL and 1.27 x 103 ± 0.4cfu/mL; Salmonella/Shigella count,6.9 x 102 ± 0.4cfu/mL and 4.5 x 102 ± 0.2cfu/mL; Escherichia coli count, 9.9 x 102 ± 0.1cfu/mL and 5.6 x 102 ± 0.05cfu/mL; coliform count, 460 ± 10.0MPN/100mL and 150 ± 2.0MPN/100mL; fungal count, 8.2 x 102 ± 0.7cfu/mL and 9.7 x 102cfu/mL respectively. The mean counts after treatment of Iyi-amaya and Anyamgbe streams’ water samples with different concentrations of Moringa oleifera seed solution ranged as follows total aerobic bacteria plate count, 0.7 x 101 ± 0.01cfu/mL to 1.08 x 103cfu/mL and 2.1 x 101 ± 0.4cfu/mL; Salmonella/Shigella count, 0 ± 0.00cfu/mL to 3.5 x 102 ± 0.1cfu/mL and 0 ± 0.00cfu/mL; Escherichia coli count, 0 ± 0.00cfu/mL to 5.3 x 102 ± 0.04cfu/mL and 0.4 x 101 ± 0.01cfu/mL to 4.5 x 102 ± 0.02cfu/mL; fungal count, 0 ± 0.00cfu/mL to 4.6 x 102 0.5cfu/mL and 0 ± 0.00cfu/mL to 6.2 x 102 0.04cfu/mL; coliform count, 0 ± 0.00MPN/100mL to 150 ± 5.0MPN/100mL and 0 ± 0.00MPN/100mL to 70 ± 3.00MPN/100mL respectively. The microorganisms isolated were Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enteroccus feacalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus species, Fusarium species, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria species, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium species and Rhizopus species. The mean values of the physicochemical parameters of the water samples before and after treatment revealed that the values were within World Health Organisation limit for drinking water quality but reduced after treatment. The qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, steroids and glycoside in the seeds. Moringa oleifera proved to be an effective water coagulating and antimicrobial agent for water purification.
Water Quality, Water Treatment, Antimicrobial, Coagulant, Microbiological, Physicochemical
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