BIO-FLOCCULATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF POWDERED MORINGA OLEIFERA (LAM) SEEDS AND ALUM ON DOMESTIC WASTEWATER MICROBIAL CONSORTIA

Introduction: Moringa oleifera seed is a bio-flocculant liable to purify water and verified to be one of the generally efficient prime coagulants for water treatment. M. oleifera seeds also have the potentials to eliminate a broad variety of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter ludwigii, from domestic wastewater. Objective: The comparative bio-flocculating ability and antimicrobial activities of powdered Moringa oleifera seeds and alum for the treatment of domestic wastewater from a university student’ hostels were explored. Methods: Collection of wastewater samples, physicochemical analysis of wastewater samples and treatment of the wastewater samples with powdered M. oleifera seeds and alum were conducted using standard techniques. Enumeration and identification of bacteria using biochemical depiction and (16S RNA) with fungi after treatment were employed via standard protocols. Results: The optimum pH obtained using powdered M. oleifera seeds was 6.00 – 7.38 and in line with the recommended WHO standard. This study revealed that the bacterial count in wastewater samples of Jibowu and Abiola hostels after treatment with 2g of powdered M. oleifera seeds and 6g of alum was high (199.67±0.89 CFU/ml); low (26.00±0.57 CFU/ml) for powdered M. oleifera seeds and high (87.00±0.57 CFU/ml); low (6.33±0.57 CFU/ml) for alum respectively. The fungal count of the wastewater samples for Akindeko and Jibowu hostels after treatment with 2g of powdered M. oleifera seeds and 6g of alum was high (26.00±0.57 Sfu/ml); low (5.00±0.57 Sfu/ml) for powdered M. oleifera seeds and high (19.00±0.58 Sfu/ml); low (2.00±0.57 Sfu/ml) for alum respectively. Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis with NCBI-certified B. cereus mkbk1, Pseudomonas aeruginosa mkbk 2 and Enterobacter ludwigii mkbk 3 were isolated from the wastewater samples. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the bio-flocculating ability of powdered M. oleifera seeds accentuated better antimicrobial efficacy of M. oleifera over alum as a proviso to the blend of powdered M. oleifera seeds and alum for the treatment of domestic wastewaters.