Study of the use of seed powders of three indigenous plants as bio-coagulants in wastewater and groundwater treatment
Date
2024-08
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Abstract
This study was designed to assess the coagulating efficacy of three indigenous plants (Moringa oleifera, Afzelia africana, and Muccuna flagellipse) seed powders as bio-coagulants in wastewater and groundwater treatment. Fresh, healthy, and mature seeds of Moringa oleifera, Afzelia africana, and Muccuna flagellipse were bought from the relief market in Owerri and processed into fine powders. Qualitative phytochemical screening of aqueous extracts of the seed powders was carried out, while physicochemical and bacterial analysis of the waste samples collected from Somachi slaughter (slaughterhouse wastewater) and Eziobodo (groundwater), Owerri Municipal was assessed before and after treatment. Three (3) different fresh stock solutions (SS) (15 g/300 ml, 30g/300ml, and 45g/300ml) of the seed powders were freshly prepared. Each 100ml of the water sample was measured into a clean 250ml beaker, and 10ml/20ml fresh stock solution were added and labeled accurately. The mixtures were stirred and allowed to stand for 24 hours for effective contact before filtering. Physicochemical parameters such as color, odor, and appearance were checked using ten (10) different observers, while pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), and chloride (Cl-) were assessed according to standard technique. The result revealed the presence of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, steroids, saponins, and anthraquinones in M. oleifera, A. africana, and M. flagellipse, except for steroids in M. flagellipes and A. africana. The physicochemical properties of the water samples before treatment show that the slaughterhouse wastewater sample was brown in color, highly turbid, poor in appearance, and almost odorless, while the groundwater sample was completely colorless, odorless, and clear with excellent appearance. After treatment with 10mL and 20mL fresh SS, there was an observed decrease in the level of turbidity, pH, temperature, and BOD and an increase in DO and Cl- levels across different treatments and concentrations. M. oleifera showed the best performance with the lowest mean turbidity, followed by A. africana and M. flgellipes. Furthermore, groundwater treatment indicated changes in color, odor, appearance, and pH, which compare favorably with the control, while temperature, EC, TDS, DO, BOD, and Cl- were statistically the same before and after treatment. The turbidity increases across the different treatments. The bacterial screening results revealed the presence of coliforms (Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp, Enterobacter spp.) and pathogenic bacteria (Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Campylobacter jejuni). Treatment with M. oleifera resulted in the lowest bacterial count, followed by A. africana and Muccuna flagellipes. The bacteria count for groundwater before and after treatment was significantly the same, except for a slight increase in E. coli and C. jejuni with M. flagellipes, though still within the WHO allowable bacterial count for domestic water (100-500/ml) of colony-forming units. Therefore, the use of M. oleifera as a bio-coagulant should be adopted in wastewater treatment, as it not only improves the water quality but also reduces the pathogenic bacteria load.
Description
This thesis is for the award of Master of Science (MSc.) in Environmental Conservation and Management
Keywords
Bio-coagulants, slaughterhouse wastewater, groundwater, water treatment, Department of Biology
Citation
Osinomumu, I. O. (2024). Study of the use of seed powders of three indigenous plants as bio-coagulants in wastewater and groundwater treatment (Unpublished Master's Thesis). Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria