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No of Pages: 85
No of Chapters: 4

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Abstract:

Most people living in rural communities have no access to good domestic water for consumption. The inhabitants depend on rainwater, well water and sometimes surface water for consumption. Improper treatment of water gotten from these sources, can lead to the spread of water-borne diseases, because, sometimes the water gotten from these sources are turbid. Although, some inhabitants use alum to treat the water so as to make the water clear. But excessive usage of alum to treat water can induce Alzheimers disease.

It is in this light that this research was carried out to confirm the effectiveness of powder extracted from mature-dried Moringa oleifera seeds, a cheap and readily available local coagulant, on water quality. Four water samples were gotten from each of the rain water, hand dug well and borehole water sources. The physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the water was examined using alum and moringa seed powder respectively. It was observed that the physical characteristics such as the appearance, odour, total solids and turbidity of the water samples was improved upon addition of alum and moringa seed extract respectively, but the seed extract proved more efficient in treating the water samples. As for the chemical characteristics of the water samples, addition of alum further reduced the pH of the water and made the water more acidic. Also, the nitrate, iron, sulphate, B.O.D, dissolved oxygen the water got reduced. It was also observed that chemical parameters such as electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, chloride, magnesium and calcium hardness was increased, and in some instances beyond the permissible limits. The addition of Moringa seed extract was observed to improve the chemical characteristics of the water samples.

The pH of the water was stabilized. Parameters such as electrical conductivity, nitrate, total alkalinity, chloride,
magnesium and calcium hardness, iron and sulphate was reduced. Also, the dissolved oxygen and B.O.D was increased. Lastly, the biological parameter such the bacteria count remain unchanged upon the addition of alum and moringa seed extract respectively.
Findings from this study indicate that Moringa oleifera, a natural coagulant, can be a potentially viable substitute to alum in treatment of water.