Evaluation of Moringa oleifera seed flour and clays as clarifying agents of eutrophic lake water

Abstract

Eutrophication is an environmental dysfunction which causes the proliferation of algae in aquatic ecosystems by excess of nutrients. Moringa oleifera seeds are used as natural coagulant to water treatment. In order to mitigate the eutrophication, clays can be added to the water promoting the removal of organic matter and/or nutrients. In this work M. oleifera seed flour and different clays were assayed to treat eutrophic lake water. The results showed that moringa seed flour removed color, turbidity and organic matter from water. Also, a biofilter with the seed flour removed phosphorous (46%) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) (68%). Bentonite was the best clay to treat lake eutrophic water, but seed flour from moringa was more efficient than bentonite, even in low concentrations and can be used to treat eutrophic water through an envionmental friendly technology.