Using Moringa oleifera for Water Treatment in Rural Communities in Southeastern Nigeria

Joachim Ibeziako Ezeji, CEO, Rural Africa Water Development Project, Nigeria; Kelly Miller, University at Buffalo

The Nigerian Situation Water Quality Parameters

Introduction •Nigeria’s population of 126.9 million makes it the most populated country in sub-
Saharan Africa
Methods •Hardness
•The rate of hardness reduction was found to be higher at lower dosages for the river
The Dakar statement at the first Global water samples than the groundwater samples (FIGURE 3)
WASH Forum underscored the belief that the •Only 60% of the Nigerian population is using improved drinking water sources; 38% Laboratory Materials: Sources of Water
global Millennium Development Goal target uses adequate sanitation facilities (UN, WHO, MICS, & DHS 2002). •At high doses of Moringa oleifera, calcium hardness had reduced almost to zero
for water and sanitation is achievable through •River Water •The hardness remaining was due mainly to magnesium
special efforts on water and sanitation in •Oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta (part of which is in the southeastern region) •Raw water samples were collected from a small river at the quarry site at Lokopanta in •The observation maybe due to the fact that calcium ions, which have a small
Africa; using Moringa oleifera to purify water have continued to compromise water quality. Umunneochi Council Area of Abia State, Nigeria hydrate radius, are selectively adsorbed faster than magnesium with a larger
Source: http://www.wsscc.org/dataweb.cfm?code=516
is one of the appropriate and inexpensive hydrate radius (Weber, 1972)
innovations that will aid these efforts. •80% of illnesses detected in the southeastern region originated from the water people •Ground Water
consumed. •Raw water samples were collected from a local borehole in Owerri, Imo State Nigeria •pH
Moringa oleifera is the best known of the 13 •For the river water sample, the pH decreased from 8.0 to a fairly constant value of 6.71
•About 70% of the population depended on surface water.
species belonging to the genus Moingaceae. It
is a fast growing, drought-resistant tree that is
Preparation of Moringa Oleifera Seed Suspension •The pH of the groundwater sample remained constant at 7.21 from an initial pH of 7.1
•The pH for the two water samples were within the recommended standards (WHO,
•50,000 children under the age of 5 found here died each year from the effects of drinking
native to sub-Himalayan tracts of Northern 1984)
impure water •Dry Moringa oleifera seeds were harvested
India, but is now distributed worldwide in the
•The seed wings and coat from selected good quality Moringa oleifera seeds were removed
tropics and sub-tropics. The press cake •Suspended Solids (SS)
•The kernel was ground to a fine powder using the electric food blender
obtained as a byproduct of extracting oil from •Upon filtration, 98% of suspended solid in the initial water samples became coagulated
•Two grams of the powder was put in a high speed mixer (ATO MIX MSE)
Moringa seeds contains a high level of
• 200mL distilled water added and blended for 30 seconds to extract the active ingredient
proteins, approximately 1% of which are •Turbidity
FIGURE 2 TABLE 1 •The result suspension was filtered though a muslin cloth
active cationic polyelectrolytes that neutralize •Upon filtration, the turbidity of the water samples (especially surface water) was reduced
Percentage of Households Obtaining Summary of Allowable Ratios •After additional water was added, the filtrate made up to 500ml to give a stock solution
negatively charged colloids in dirty water. by 80%, leaving a clear, very low turbidity water
Water from Sources Defined as “Safe”1 in mg/L in Nigeria2 of approximately 400mg Moringa per L •The results of dosing Moringa oleifera seed solution at 750 mg/L over a seven hour
This protein can therefore be used as a non-
•The solution had a pH of 6.05
toxic natural polypeptide for sedimenting COMPOSITION mg/L dosing compares favorably with performance figures for alum dosing at 50 mg/L.
Rural
48 •The stock solution was prepared fresh for use as and when needed, since deterioration sets in if
mineral particles and organics in the 39
Calcium 0.40 stored for more than two days at room temperature
purification of drinking water; industrial Urban
71
80
Pathogens, Taste and Odor
coagulants, such as alumina, can be expensive Magnesium 0.25 •Bacteria is reduced by 1-4 log units (90-99%) is within the first 1 to 2 hours of treatment
40

Experimental Runs
North East
and toxic, their proper use requiring qualified
40
Sodium 0.02 •The bacteria is concentrated in the coagulated sediment (Madsen et al, 1981)
•Passing the filtrate through activated carbon makes the water more wholesome
77
personnel which are not readily found in the North West 50
TDS 5.00
majority of developing countries. South East
39
•500ml of water was put in a 1 L beaker and the •Activated carbon adsorbs excessive concentration of taste and odor compounds
Source: http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/trade/asiaveg/thes-23.htm
34
Chlorides 0.30 TABLE 3: Dosage Ranges
South West
59
69
paddle of a Voss flocculator was inserted
Moringa has great potential to become one of the most economically important tree crops for Sulphate 2.00 •The speed of mixing was set at 110 rpm using a Raw Water Turbidity Dosage Range
the tropics and sub-tropics. With all of its many attributes, including its ability to thrive under Nigeria
54
Nephelometric turbidity mg/L FIGURE 4: Surface Water in Southeastern Nigeria
50
1999
Nitrate Nil portable electronic tachometer (Banair)
difficult conditions and the properties which offer nutritious food, clean water, medicine and Subsaharan Africa
54
•The required dosage (TABLE 3) of Moringa was units (NTU)
0 1995
Iron Nil
income, it is surely no exaggeration to call Moringa “the miracle tree”. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 added, and the mixture was stirred for 2 minutes. < 50 10 – 50
pH 6.5 – 7.5
•The hardness, alkalinity, turbidity and pH were 50 – 150 30 – 100
measured before and after dosing < 150 50-200
•Since the flocs formed after each experimental
run were light, the product water was filtered before measuring the water quality parameters

Background Common Sources FIGURE 3

Map of Nigerian States
of Water Pollution TABLE 4: Average Raw Water Characteristics
Traditional Method for Preparing Moringa oleifera Open Streams, Rivers, and Ditches Total Hardness mg/L as CaCO 3
•Widespread open defecation Source of Water Alkalinity mg/L as CaCO 3 pH
Ca Mg Total
•Seed pods are allowed to dry naturally on the tree prior to harvesting. •Chemical contamination from
industry River 696.4 320.7 1017 312 8
•After shelling, the seeds are crushed and sieved using traditional techniques employed in •Waterborne diseases Groundwater 310 184.5 494.5 328 7.1
the production of maize flour (FIGURE 1) •Cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, References
diarrhea and schistosomiasis
American Public Health Association, American Waterworks Association and Water Pollution Control
•Approximately 50-150mg of ground seed will be needed to treat one liter of river water, Water Wells Federation. 1985. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 16ed. Washington:
depending on the quantity of the crushed seed to form a paste •Incrustation of calcium carbonates, APHA, AWWA and WPCF.
iron manganese hydroxides or bacteria
•The crushed seed powder, when added to water, yields water soluble proteins that slimes Bazeley, Ben W. 1999. "The Moringa: A Miracle Tree for Developing Countries?" The Rotarian. Feb: 6-7.
possess a net positive charge

Natural coagulants have been used for centuries in traditional water treatment practices
•Waste contamination from leachate
plumes gravitated from nearby
latrines, sewage or dumpsites
Results and Discussion
FIGURE 3: Softening Water with Moringa oleifera
Bryan, Edward A., George P. Fulton and George C. Budd. 1992. Disinfection Alternatives for Safe Drinking
Water. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

throughout certain areas of the developing world (Sutherland). •Drilling mud (including polymers) Dussert, Bertrand W. and Gary R. Van Stone. 1994. The Biological Activated Carbon Process for Water
1200
from improperly developed wells Source: Purification. Water Engineering & Management.
Management. 141, 12: 22-24.
•Cuttings from annular space between
Upper: http://www.nigeria-consulate- Fuglie, L.J. ed. 2001. The Miracle Tree. The Multiple Attributes of Moringa. Dakar: Technical Centre for
well screen and formation walls atl.org
1000

•Organic growth from oxygen intake Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA: ACP-EU) and Church World Service.
Lower: http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/
FIGURE 1 800 McConnachie, G.L., A.M. Warhurst, S.J. Pollard. Activated Carbon from Moringa Husks and Pods. UK and V.
Preparation of Seed Paste using Traditional Maize Flour Production Techniques SurfaceWater Chipofya, Malawi. 1996 WEDC Conference.
Groundwater
600
TABLE 2: States in South Eastern Nigeria Muyibi, Suleyman A. and Lilian M. Evison. 1995. Moringa oleifera Seeds for Softening Hardwater. Water
State Number of Local Total Number of % of Households Total Population Research.
Research. 29, 4:1099-1105.
Government Households Using Moringa 400
Nathanson, Roger. 2004. You Bring it Up, So Why Not Clean it Up? National Driller.
Driller. 25: 3A, 4A.
Authorities
200 Scholz, M. and Martin R. J. 1997. Ecological Equilibrium on Biological Activated Carbon. Water Research.
Research.
Abia 17 422,032 10 2,338,487
31,12: 2959-2968.
Anambra 21 482,444 4 2,221,236
0 Sutherland, J.P., G.K. Folkard, M.A. Mtawali and W.D. Grant. Moringa oleifera as a Natural Coagulant.
Ebonyi 13 401,568 15 2,119,297 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
University of Leicester, UK. 1994 WEDC Conference.
Shelling Crushing Sieving Making Finished
Seeds Seeds Seeds Seed Paste Enugu 17 421,797 9 2,272,600 1
“Safe” sources include piped water into households, water from public taps, boreholes, protected wells and other protected sources.
Seed Paste Imo 27 541,396 3 2,485,338
However, the lack of water quality data in Nigeria precludes the presumption that all water from these sources is safe.
Moringa oleifera Dosage mg/L Sources: MICS 1995 [FOS/UNICEF; A-1995]; MICS 1999 [FOS UNICEF; A-2000]
Source: http://www.le.ac.uk/engineering/staff/Sutherland/moringa/pictures/fscale/fscale.htm 2
2003, NAFDAC (a Nigerian regulatory agency; National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control)