Moringa tree seeds provide efficient water purification, finds research

Dec. 5, 2013
New research from Uppsala University in Sweden has found that seeds from Moringa oleifera trees can be used to purify water.


Oct. 5, 2013 -- New research from Uppsala University in Sweden has found that seeds from Moringa oleifera trees can be used to purify water.

The findings indicate that seed material can give a more efficient purification process than conventional synthetic materials in use today. A protein in the seeds binds to impurities, causing them to aggregate so that the clusters can be separated from the water.

The study recently published in the journal Colloids and Surfaces A focuses on optimization of the water purification process. Researchers in Uppsala, together with colleagues from Lund as well as Namibia, Botswana, France and the United States, have studied the microscopic structure of aggregates formed with the protein.

The results show that the clusters of material (flocs) produced with the protein are much more tightly packed than those formed with conventional flocculating agents This is better for water purification, as such flocs are more easily separated. Further, the new study compares protein from the seeds of different varieties of Moringa trees grown in different countries. It also allows estimates of the optimum amount of seed extract that should be used to minimize residues in treated water.

The work used research facilities at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France and the NIST Center for Neutron Research in the U.S. Powerful research tools such as those for neutron scattering are important to tackle challenges facing developing countries as well as industrialized regions.

There is a broad interest in new, sustainable methods for water treatment. The research group has already presented results to government agencies and public bodies, particularly in Namibia and Botswana. There are now discussions on best use of Moringa seeds, both to substitute conventional materials in large water treatment plants and in small scale units.

"Neutrons are an ideal tool for understanding the internal structure of these complex organic aggregates thanks to a contrast matching technique that only highlights the protein components absorbed to the particles," said Dr. Lionel Porcar from the Institut Laue-Langevin. "Additionally, the use of Ultra Small Angle Neutron Scattering allowed the mechanism of aggregation of these large flocs the to be followed non-invasively."

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