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Adhikari and Neupane

Table 2. Effect of different concentrations of Moringa oleifera (MO) seed extract and citric acid‑treated
MO seed extract on remediation of microorganisms in B‑2 water samples

Parameters Before treatment After treatment
MO seed extract (mg/L) CAMO (mg/L)
50 100 200 100
MPN/100 mL 1100 460 240 210 120
SPC/100 mL TMTC 2.7×10 8 6.1×10 7 4.8×10 7 2.6×10 7
Abbreviations: MPN: Most probable number; SPC: Spread sheet count; CAMO: Citric acid-modified MO seed extract.

A B

Figure 4. The river water samples after treatment
with (A) Moringa oleifera seed extract (MO) and (B)
citric acid‑treated MO seed extract
Figure 3. Fourier transform infrared spectra of
Moringa oleifera (MO) and citric acid‑treated MO samples (B-1 and B-2) were treated with different
seed powders concentrations of MO. The concentrations of MO used
for the treatment were 50, 100, and 200 mg/L.
of the carboxyl group at 1750 cm in CAMO than in
-1
MO, suggesting the esterification between the citric 3.3.1. Physicochemical remediation of river water
acid and alcohol groups of cellulose in the MO powder. On treatment, the highly turbid grey-colored water
The broad adsorptions between 2500 and 3500 cm in sample (B-1) and polluted black-colored water sample
-1
CAMO confirmed the -OH bond stretching in lignin, (B-2) became colorless and clean after treatment with
protein, carbohydrate, and fatty acid. It is considered that MO (Figure 4). The change in color and turbidity
polar groups, like -OH and -COOH, were added onto the suggested that MO is useful for removing suspended
surface of the bio-adsorbent on treatment with citric acid, particles even from heavily polluted river water. The
which may considerably increase the cation exchange efficiency of suspended particle removal from the
capacity and mechanical strength of the bio-adsorbent. 15 water samples was distinctly observed in the turbidity
measurement. As aforementioned, the turbidity of the
3.3. Effect of different concentrations of MO seed B-1 sample was 7 times higher and that of the B-2 sample
extract on water remediation was 5 times higher than the WHO recommended value.
The MO seeds consist of lignocellulose materials, mainly After treatment, turbidity was drastically reduced to 4.1
hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin, with -COOH, -OH, NTU, which is below the WHO-recommended value,
and N-H functional groups. These functional groups can even at a low concentration (50 mg/L) (Figure 5A).
adsorb oppositely charged ions to form neutral particles The turbidity reduction efficiency of MO increases
that are responsible for the coagulation process. The with increasing concentrations, from 50 to 200 mg/L.
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water treatment efficiency of MO was determined by The turbidity reduced to <3.1 NTU after treatment
treating water samples with seed powder extract. Water with 200 mg/L MO in both water samples. This result

Volume 22 Issue 1 (2025) 46 doi: 10.36922/ajwep.8434