Evaluation of the Phytochemical Properties of Eucalyptus Citriodora Exudates and its Potency as Coagulant in Water Purification

Abstract

This research work was carried out with the aim to investigate the phytochemical properties and the effectiveness of Eucalyptus citriodora exudates as coagulant for water purification and to compare the effectiveness of this plant extract as coagulant to alum (standard conventional coagulant) and this was done using Completely Randomized Design with loading doses from 0.02g - 0.10g of the extract and alum as standard coagulant. The phytochemical screening was carried out on the plant extract of Eucalyptus citriodora exudates according to the methods as described by Sofowora for testing phytochemical compounds. The following parameters namely; pH, TDS, turbidity, and electrical conductivity of the pond water used were determined before and after coagulation in this study. From the results obtained, the phytochemical properties analysed in this research work indicated that carbohydrate, glycoside, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, resins, proteins and terpenoids were found to be present in high concentration in this plant extract. Alkaloids and steroids were observed to be present in medium concentration, oil was seen in low concentration while reducing sugar and acidic compound were absent in this plant extract. The values obtained in this study indicated that Eucalyptus citriodora exudates showed 86.39% reduction in TDS at optimal dosage of 0.10g but showed increase in turbidity as dosage increases. The pH values (6.6-7.4), electrical conductivity (567-621 µՏ/cm) and TDS (100-455 mg/L) obtained in this study for the water purification were in the recommended range of permissible limits by WHO and USEPA except for turbidity values (45-85 NTU) which were above the set standard for drinking water quality. Keywords: Phytochemical properties, Eucalyptus citriodora exudates, Alum, Coagulation and Water purification DOI: 10.7176/CMR/14-4-03 Publication date: October 31 st 2022