OPTIMIZING PHYSICAL PARAMETERS AFFECTING COAGULATION OF TURBID WATER WITH MORINGA-OLEIFERA SEEDS

Moringa oleifera is a plant coagulant and coagulant aid which has potential for use on a large scale for treatment of turbid waters in tropical developing countries. This paper presents results of optimization studies on physical factors including rapid mix velocity gradient and time, slow mix velocity gradient and time, and dosage of M. oleifera for low, medium and high raw water turbidities (50-750 NTU). Regression analysis was also carried out to study the effect of multiple factor interaction in the coagulation of turbid water with M. oleifera. This was carried out using the results of experimental runs involving varying initial turbidity, M. oleifera dosage, rapid mix velocity gradient, slow mix velocity gradient, and slow mix time.