Efficiency of Different Moringa oleifera (Lam.) Varieties as Natural Coagulants for Urban Wastewater Treatment

Nidhal Marzougui, Ferdaous Guasmi, Sondes Dhouioui, Mohamed Bouhlel, Mohamed Hachicha, Ronny Berndtsson and Noomene Sleimi
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Nidhal Marzougui: LR Valorisation des Eaux Non Conventionnelles (LR 16INRGREF02), Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forets, Université de Cartahge, 17 Rue Hédi Karray, BP No. 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Ferdaous Guasmi: Laboratoire d’Aridoculture et Cultures Oasiennes, Institut des Régions Arides, Université de Gabès, Route ElJorf, Medenine 4119, Tunisia
Sondes Dhouioui: LR Valorisation des Eaux Non Conventionnelles (LR 16INRGREF02), Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forets, Université de Cartahge, 17 Rue Hédi Karray, BP No. 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Mohamed Bouhlel: LR Valorisation des Eaux Non Conventionnelles (LR 16INRGREF02), Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forets, Université de Cartahge, 17 Rue Hédi Karray, BP No. 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Mohamed Hachicha: LR Valorisation des Eaux Non Conventionnelles (LR 16INRGREF02), Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forets, Université de Cartahge, 17 Rue Hédi Karray, BP No. 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Ronny Berndtsson: Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies & Division of Water Resources Engineering, Lund University, 22100 Lund, Sweden
Noomene Sleimi: LR-RME Resources, Materials and Ecosystems, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage, Jarzouna, Bizerte 7021, Tunisia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: There is a great need to find cheaper but still efficient treatment methods for wastewater. This study aimed to test the purifying performance of three different Moringa oleifera varieties that were cultivated in Tunisia on raw (RUW) and secondary treated urban wastewater (TUW). The seeds of the Mornag, Egyptian, and Indian varieties were powdered, added to the water (at concentrations of 0, 50, 100, and 150 mg·L −1 ), and stirred for 45 min at 120 rpm, and then left to settle for two hours. A physicochemical characterization of the wastewater was carried out before and after treatment. The investigated treatments decontaminated both types of urban wastewater. The best treatments were obtained with the Egyptian variety (at 150 mg·L −1 ), which excelled at the reduction of EC, TSS, BOD 5 , Cl, SO 4 , Ca, Na, Cd, and Fe in RUW and BOD 5 , EC, Na, Mg, Cl, and Cd in TUW. High amounts of TKN was found in both types of Moringa -treated wastewater, meaning that it could be used in agricultural irrigation, leading to less use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers and thus improving sustainability for crops, soils, animals, and humans. The Egyptian Moringa variety constitutes a cost-effective and environmentally friendly adsorbent that can be used as a replacement for more expensive treatment technologies.

Keywords: coagulation; Moringa oleifera; raw urban wastewater; removal efficiency; treated urban wastewater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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