Uso de semente de Moringa oleífera no tratamento de água de ambiente estuarino

Abstract

Moringa oleifera is a plant native to India, traditionally used to treat wastewater and drinking water, aiming to remove turbidity due to its ability to have cationic proteins in its seed, which are soluble in water and can adsorb suspended particles and the accompanying microbiota. The objective was to analyze the use of Moringa oleifera as a natural coagulant and antimicrobial agent for use as primary water treatment for the Araçá lagoon, located in the city of Recife/PE, classified as an estuarine environment, in a densely populated region with intense discharge of domestic and industrial effluents. Physical-chemical tests were performed (pH, turbidity and color) and quantification of total and thermotolerant coliforms in the raw water and after treatment with Moringa. The pH decreased in all concentrations, unlike color, which increased in all tests. The longer the contact time of moringa with the raw water, the higher the turbidity. The concentration of microorganisms indicates that the raw water of Araçá lagoon is much higher than the maximum limit determined by the legislation. As for the combination of the use of Jar Test and the reduction in the concentration of moringa, it was observed that there was no change in the microbial load.