1. Low cost and sustainable surface water purification methods by moringa & scallop powder followed by bio-sand filtration Sharmin Zaman1,2, Anowara Begum2, K.S. Rabbani3 and Latiful Bari1 1Center for advanced Research in Sciences, 2Department of Microbiology, and 3Department of Biomedical Physics & Technology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh Presenting authors
Corresponding Author’s
Abstract:
Simple and inexpensive water purification method was developed using natural coagulant (moringa seed powder) and antibacterial agents (scallop powder) followed by bio-sand filtration. In this study, surface water from different sources (e.g. pond, canal, lake and river) were treated with combined moringa seed powder, and scallop powder (MOSP) at a ratio of 2:1 for 10 minutes showed a clear water layer at the top and a sediment layer at the bottom. The clear water was then passed through an 8- fold sari cloths and/or natural bio-sand filtration and the resulting water was found drinkable. The microbiological and physico-chemical quality of this water showed non-significant differences compared to the US EPA drinking water quality parameters. Moreover, no cytotoxic effect of MOSP with BHK-21 and HeLa cells was observed indicating use of MOSP doesn’t pose any adverse health effect. In addition, no bacterial endotoxins were detected in the filtered water. Furthermore, the shelf life of the produced water can be stored at room temperature up to 6 months without compromising the quality, indicating the usefulness of this technology in drinking water scarcity areas of the world, because the ingredients used are readily available, inexpensive, user friendly and natural. On the other hand, the sediment or sludge produced in this process could be used in agriculture field after proper compost. Therefore, despite many similar water purification systems available commercially, this new methods would be the simplest, inexpensive and environmental friendly. This simple and easy treatment and filtration methods is particularly helpful for flood prone areas, where there is a scary of drinking water during flood.
Key words: Surface water, moringa seed powder, scallop powder, inexpensive water purification.
Objectives:
To develop a simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly technology using locally available natural coagulant (moringa seed powder) and antimicrobial agent (Scallop shell powder) followed by bio-sand filtration to convert surface water to drinking water.
Justification of this technique using different cultural and molecular microbiological tests at the lab scale.
Field application of this technique to a flood affected area.
Moringa Seed Powder
Scallop Shell Powder
Mixing with stirring
Ready to drink
Clear Water
Bio-sand Filtration
Comparison of physico-chemical characteristics of raw water and MOSP tread water followed by various filtrations with standard value
Physico-chemical
Parameter
Mean Value of control samples
Mean value of treated samples
EPA
Guidelines Limits for drinking water
BDS Standard
Color
15-19
12-14 (color unit)
15 (color unit)
5(Haxen unit)
Odor
Odorous
Odorless
3 threshold odor number
Unobjectionable
Taste
Not agreeable
Agreeable pH
Salinity (ppt)
0.1
Turbidity
NTU
NTU
NTU
5 NTU
TDS
mg/l
232mg/l
500mg/L
Conductivity µs/cm NS
BOD
mg/l
mg/l
5mg/L
COD
mg/l
mg/l
40mg/L
Iron (mg/L)
0.00
0.3
0.30
Manganese (mg/L)
0.38
0.05
0.50
Lead (mg/L)
0.015
0.01
Zinc (mg/L)
5.00
3.00
Arsenic (mg/L)
Cadmium (mg/L)
0.005
0.003
Methods:
Cytotoxicity test on HeLa and BHK-21 cell
SEM
LAL test
Results:
Figure: (a) represents the positive control (E. coli O111:B4) ; (b) represents the negative result of test sample
Field Application of this technique to Araihazar Flood Affected Area
Figure: Bacteriological quality of raw and treated (pond, river and lake) water stored for 6 months at ambient temperature
Figure: Bacterial (spiked) quality of 6 months stored treated (pond, river and lake) water at ambient temperature
Figure: Comparison of bacteriological quality of raw water (pond, river and lake) and MOSP treated water followed by bio-sand filtration
Introduction:
Safe drinking water is a fundamental need for healthy human life and water has been shown to be linked to the development of all areas. Ground water, which is the important source of water supply of Bangladesh, getting contaminated due to environmental or anthropogenic reasons. Depending on the water sources, numerous water purification methods were developed to disinfect surface water to make clean water. However, recent studies claim that these methods are becoming un-ecological, expensive to run, manage and maintain, and most importantly, unhealthy. To circumvent the use of chemical agents to purify water, scientists have started focusing on natural products which can be used to treat water. Moringa was found to be a useful plant and numbers of studies have been carried out to establish the coagulation activity of the seed of this plant. Heated scallop shell powder treatment successfully decreased bacterial count in various food and vegetables. We were looking for a simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly technology using locally available natural coagulant (moringa seed powder) and antimicrobial agents (scallop powder) followed by bio-sand filtration to convert surface water to drinking water, which can be used during Flood or other natural disasters in Bangladesh.
Conclusion:
Surface water treated with MOSP followed by natural bio-sand filtration was found to produce clean water. The bacteriological and physico-chemical quality parameters indicating the usefulness of this technology, because the ingredients used are readily available, inexpensive, user friendly and natural and eco-friendly. The people can easily get safe drinking water if training on these techniques are provided to the village people.
Acknowledgement:
This work has been partially financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency project entitled “Survey on securing drinking water using natural ingredient during a flood (SME Partnership Promotion)’. The authors also would like to thanks ORPCE Tokyo office for providing scallop powder.
Molecular technique:
Selected References:
Ali, E. A., Muyibi, S. A., Salleh, H. M., Salleh, M. R. M., & Alam, M. Z. (2009). Moringa oleifera Seeds as Natural Coagulant for Water Treatment. Thirteenth International Water Technology Conference, Hurghada, Egypt,
Sawai, J., Nagasawa, K., and Kikuchi, M. (2013). Ability of Heated Scallop-Shell Powder to Disinfect Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm. Food Science and Technology Research, 19(4),
Figure: Representative E. coli was confirmed by detecting specific uidA gene using molecular method