Author(s) :

Yadima, S.G., Babagana Sa’ad., Ibrahim, U.A..

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This study examined the effects of shelf life on the colour removal efficiencies of extracts from Moringa oleifera, Hibiscus sabdariffa and Hibiscus esculentus seeds in coagulation of high turbid water. The seeds were collected from a vegetable garden in Kayamla village on the outskirt of Maiduguri, Nigeria. About 3250 g of each seed was used in the study. Two different methods of seeds storage were investigated. One part of each seed was placed in a clay pot and covered which was labelled as “N” while the other part was placed in a polythene bag of 700 gauge and placed in a clay pot and covered which was labelled as “P”. The seeds were subjected to ethanoic extraction each month for six consecutive months. One litre of the ethanol was used for the extraction process. The extraction process was conducted based on soxhlet method using soxhlet solvent extractor. The coagulation activities of the seeds extracts were conducted using the jar test experiment. The seeds extract of varying dosages of 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 mg/l were used on pond waters having turbidity strengths ranging from 343-385 NTU. The optimum dose was then determined by selecting the beaker with the highest colour removal efficiency at a reasonable time and with large floc size formation. The experiment was repeated for each of the three seeds stored in the two different storage methods for six months. Results revealed that the efficiencies of colour removal of all the seeds extracts decreased as storage time increased. Higher values of colour removal were associated with storage method “P”. The effect of shelf life of six months for colour removal with respect to the two storage methods was insignificant for all the three seeds extracts. The efficiency of colour removal of the three seeds extracts decreased as storage duration increased. The storage method with polythene bag inside clay pot was found to be the best method. The paper calls for the propagation of the use of polythene bag and clay pot for seeds storage among rural dwellers when the seeds are being considered for water treatment.

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