Water Treatment with Moringa Seeds

In some developing countries, the river water used for drinking and household use, in general, can be very muddy, especially during the rainy season, which contains suspended solids, bacteria and other microorganisms. Every year, millions of children could die in these countries, victims of infections caused by dirty water. It is necessary to remove many of these materials before using it for consumption. Usually this is achieved with the addition of chemical coagulants, within a treatment sequence controlled. Chemical coagulants such as aluminum sulfate, sometimes not available at a reasonable price to people in developing countries. An alternative is the use of natural coagulants, usually of plant origin, to promote the coagulation of such particles.
The recently discovered the use of powdered seeds of Moringa oleifera for the purification of water, at a cost of only a fraction of conventional chemical treatment is an alternative of the utmost importance. Regarding the removal of bacteria, reductions in the order of 90-99% have been reported in the literature. It should be noted, however, that the use of seed treatment, as well as other coagulants and natural chemicals, does not produce purified water. The risk of infection can be greatly reduced and the water is considered safe. Therefore, some form of disinfection, such as boiling point, is recommended.
In a pilot project for water treatment in Malawi, in Africa, it was noted that while aluminum is effective as a coagulant in only a narrow range of pH levels of water to be treated, the seeds of Moringa act independently of pH, which is in a head start in developing countries, where usually you can not effectively control the pH before coagulation. These seeds can be used in water treatment, making it possible to ensure that emerging countries can have safe water, drinking water and domestic use. May, without doubt, become a solution to reduce the incidence of diseases caused by impure water, which are a major cause leading to high incidence of death. There are reports in the literature, the introduction of Moringa oleifera in some states in Brazil since 1950. However, its potential has not been well known, the plant was used only as an ornament.
EMBRAPA Coastal Tablelands, in Aracaju, Sergipe, in a pioneering work, has undertaken a preliminary study with plants of Moringa oleifera on their behavior in the conditions of the region. Interest in the potential of plants has grown considerably in the community and a program of seedling production is already underway. Planting of seedlings of Moringa oleifera in the experimental stations of this center has been established to provide, as seed banks for future programs to use the plant as a food source and purification of natural water for the residents of areas subject to drought.