How do Moringa seeds work in water treatment?

The seeds are a natural flocculant. The flocculant acts by capturing particles suspended in water and causing them to add up and rushed fondo.Modo Jobs (craft), mature seeds and grind just wrapped in some type of tissue that prevents falling apart, when introduced into the purifying 'water.

Active ingredient: it is a polyelectrolyte which was recently identified and isolated by the laboratories of biomass in Nicaragua. For one kilogram of this element would require about 100 kg of seeds. E 'was also found that the level of electrolytes found in seeds of Moringa is much lower during the dry season. This may explain the failure of some preliminary tests for the development of water sanitation projects in Africa. E 'therefore be used as a flocculant only seeds collected during the dry season.

The removal of organic and inorganic raw water is essential before they can be sterilized for human consumption. In water treatment, this stage is the clarity, usually obtained through the application of chemical coagulants to change the water in liquid state to a semi-solid. This is usually followed by flocculation, the process smooth and continuous agitation of coagulated water, which promotes the formation of flakes, through the aggregation of tiny particles in water. Flocs can be easily removed by sedimentation or filtration.

For many communities in developing countries, however, the use of coagulation, flocculation and sedimentation is low due to high cost and limited availability of chemical coagulants such as alum and iron salts.
This technique provides a brief overview of the implementation of an indigenous, naturally derived coagulant, i.e., the material of seed multipurpose tree Moringa oleifera Lam. (M.oleifera) offered an alternative to using expensive chemical coagulants.

 How do seeds work?

The seed kernels contain significant quantities of several water molecules and soluble proteins in solution carry a positive charge. Proteins are considered to act in a manner similar to synthesis of positively charged polymer coagulants. When added to raw water to bind the proteins predominantly to negatively charged particles that make it rough murky waters (silt, clay, bacteria, etc.).
Under adequate agitation these particles then grow in size to form flakes, which can be solved by gravity or be removed by filtration.

Household water treatment

The traditional use of seeds for water treatment M.oleifera family is restricted to rural areas in Sudan. Village women to collect water from the river Nile, and place the seeds into powder in a canvas bag with a rope attached. This bag is inserted the murky water to promote coagulation and flocculation.
The flocculated solids are allowed to settle and the treated water is removed by boiling and subsequent consumption.
source: www.moringa.es