Moringa oleifera seeds extract improves the quality of treated wastewater of Byad-Elarab plant, Beni-Suef, Egypt

Abstract

Waste generation as a result of human activities is unavoidable. A large portion of these wastes ends up as wastewater. The goal of this research is to investigate the performance of Moringa oleifera seeds extract (MSE) as an ecofriendly bio-coagulant in the purification of wastewater (effluent) from the Byad-Elarab treatment plant in Beni-Suef, Egypt. The physicochemical and biological properties of effluent and treated water were investigated. Results showed that MSE increased pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of treated water with a concentration-based response. Contrarily, turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), chlorides, sulphate, and total hardness were significantly decreased. Moreover, MSE inhibited total coliform, algae, and protozoa growth, particularly at high MSE dosage. According to these findings, MSE is suggested as a potential tool for improving water quality and a robust disinfectant agent for raw effluent treatment. Further research is required to investigate the viability of using MSE in fisheries effluents.