Wastewater treatment using a natural coagulant (Moringa oleifera seeds): optimization through response surface methodology

Abstract

The high expense of chemical coagulant-treated water forces most people in rural regions to rely on easily available sources, which are usually of poor quality, and expose them to waterborne infections. According to this statement, the purpose of this study was to confirm the efficiency of extracting powder Moringa oleifera seeds, which are widely available in rural regions. The experiment was done based on a random design load of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 g/500 ml of powder extracted from Moringa seeds. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and turbidity were determined for both acidic and basic characteristics of wastewater. The optimum dosage of Moringa oleifera was 0.4 g/500 ml in both characteristics of wastewater in the case of color and turbidity. Moringa oleifera maximum reduction in turbidity, color, and COD in acidic wastewater was 98 %, 90.76 %, and 65.8 % respectively; while, the maximum reduction of turbidity, color, and COD in basic wastewater were 99.5 %, 97.7 %, and 65.82 % respectively. The study was demonstrated that, the application of RSM for seeking optimum conditions in the coagulation process for the treatment of wastewater. Moringa seed powder works best with a 7–9 pH range. The study also investigated that, best adsorption equilibrium was observed when using 0.1 g of Moringa oleifera seed powder. All the results showed that Moringa oleifera seeds were very effective for the removal of impurities.