Evaluation of coagulating efficiency and water borne pathogens reduction capacity of Moringa oleifera seed powder for treatment of domestic wastewater from Zomba, Malawi

For many communities in the developing world, conventional water treatment methods are often unaffordable because of the high cost associated with them and inavailability of chemical coagulants in the developing countries. Employing Moringa oleifera seed (as powder or extracts) to treat municipal domestic wastewater effluent presents an alternative practice to improving water quality effluent of existing wastewater treatment plants in developing countries. In the present study, domestic wastewater from a local wastewater treatment plant in Zomba, Malawi, was treated by Moringa oleifera seed powder in batch tests. The objective was to investigate the potential of Moringa oleifera seed powder in enhancing domestic wastewater treatment through the reduction of microbial load, turbidity and total dissolved solids (TDS). Moringa oleifera powder seed reduced turbidity from 287 to 38.8 Nephelometric turbidity unit (NTU), increased pH from 4.3 to 7.1, and set total dissolved solids (TDS) at standards recommended by World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water. Optimum reduction in microbial load was observed at a dosage of powder of 15 g L-1, with particular potency against Salmonella and Shigella spp. However, each dose of Moringa oleifera seed powder showed its own ideal settling (contact) time for microbe reduction before regrowth of microbes.