Comparative Study of Water Treatment Efficiency Using Moringa oleifera Seeds and Alum in River Benue, North Central Nigeria

Alum is the most widely used coagulant in municipal water treatment in Nigeria, but concerns about residual aluminium in treated water have renewed interest in natural coagulants as alternatives. This study compares the water treatment efficiency of Moringa oleifera seed extract with aluminium sulphate in treating turbid water samples collected from the River Benue, North Central Nigeria. Jar test experiments were conducted at optimised coagulant doses across a range of pH values and turbidities. Parameters evaluated post-treatment include turbidity removal, pH, colour removal, residual aluminium or protein, total dissolved solids, coliform reduction, and sludge volume index. Results show that Moringa oleifera seed extract at an optimum dose of 40 milligrams per litre achieved 85.3 percent turbidity removal in moderately turbid samples, compared to 92.1 percent for alum at 30 milligrams per litre. However, at higher turbidities above 400 NTU, Moringa extract performance was comparable to alum. Sludge volumes were markedly lower for Moringa-treated samples, facilitating easier sludge handling. Coliform reduction by Moringa seed extract was notable, with a 97 percent reduction recorded. The absence of toxic residuals and the biodegradable nature of Moringa-derived sludge make it a promising alternative coagulant for rural water treatment schemes along the Benue corridor. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, water treatment, alum, coagulation, River Benue