Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Different Dosage of Moringa Oleifera Seed (Granular Form) and Banana Peel as a Natural Coagulant in Treatment of Wastewater from a Fish Pond in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri

Abstract

This research work investigated the comparative effectiveness of Moringa oleifera seed (granular form) and banana peel powder as natural coagulants in the treatment of wastewater obtained from a fish pond in Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, Imo State Nigeria. The study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of both coagulants at different dosages (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) and identifying the most suitable natural coagulant for fish pond wastewater treatment. Wastewater samples were collected from the discharge point of a fish pond within the institution and analyzed for selected physicochemical parameters before and after treatment. Parameters tested for included acidity, alkalinity, hardness, turbidity, pH, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total solids (TS).The experimental procedure involved drying, grinding, and sieving banana peels and moringa seeds into powdered forms before preparing different dosage concentrations with distilled water. The prepared coagulants were applied to the wastewater samples, stirred thoroughly, and allowed to settle before laboratory analysis was carried out. Results obtained showed significant improvement in water quality after treatment with both coagulants. Treatment with moringa seed at 0.5% dosage reduced acidity from 150.0 mg/L to 56.0 mg/L, turbidity from 7.0 NTU to 3.0 NTU, TSS from 145.0 mg/L to 70.0 mg/L, and TDS from 255.0 mg/L to 140.0 mg/L. While for the \Banana peel treatment at 0.5% dosage also reduced turbidity to 1.0 NTU, TSS to 30.0 mg/L, and acidity to 60.0 mg/L. The pH values for both treatments remained within the permissible limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The study revealed that lower dosages, particularly 0.5%, produced better treatment efficiency than higher dosages. Comparatively, banana peel demonstrated better turbidity and TSS reduction, while moringa seed showed better reduction in acidity and TDS. The study concluded that both moringa oleifera seed and banana peel are effective, low-cost, eco-friendly, and sustainable natural coagulants for fish pond wastewater treatment. However, banana peel was observed to be slightly more effective overall due to its superior reduction of suspended particles and turbidity. The use of these natural coagulants is therefore recommended as an alternative to conventional chemical coagulants in wastewater treatment.