The use of some plants in water purification

Jodi M. L. ¹, Birnin-Yauri U. A. ²*, Yahaya Y. ³ and Sokoto M. A. ²

¹Department of Chemistry, Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto

²Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

³Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero.

*Corresponding Author E-mail:  uabyauri@gmail.com; Tel. +234(0)8038099456

Accepted 08 September, 2012

Abstract

This research was aimed at finding the efficiencies of powdered seeds of M. olifeira, H. sabdariffa and C. tridens as natural water treatment agents alternative to the use of synthetic chemicals. Similarly, the efficiency of mixture of each of the plant with alum was tested. The optimum dosages and turbidities (NTU) were observed to be 80ppm and 7 NTU (alum), 120ppm and 5 NTU (M. oleifera), 130ppm and 110 NTU (C. tridens); 130ppm and 80 NTU (H. sabdariffa) respectively. The optimum dosage (60ppm) and turbidity (NTU) of 5 were observed in mixture of alum – M. oleifera, while for alum - C. tridens and alum - H. sabdariffa were 80ppm to 5 NTU and 80ppm to 6 NTU respectively. The result obtained when for M. oleifera proved that the plant can be use for the treatment of turbidity in drinking water.  The results obtained when each of the plant was combined with alum were much better. The values obtained for M. oleifera and combination of each plant with alum were observed to be within the WHO maximum permissible level of turbidity in drinking water.

Keywords: Flocculants, Turbidity, Alum, Optimum, Coagulation.

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