Turbidity removal through the application of powdered azadirachta indica (neem) seeds

  • Qandeel Khan U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Sindh Pakistan
  • Uzma Imran U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Sindh Pakistan
  • Jeffrey L. Ullman Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 United States
  • Waheed Ali Khokhar U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Sindh Pakistan

Abstract

Various natural products used for water treatment are becoming more popular due to their general safety, eco-friendly sludge production, ease of degradation, cost-effectiveness, and local availability. This research assessed the efficiency of powdered neem (Azadirachta indica) seeds in removing turbidity from the water. Batch experiments determined the optimum coagulant dose, pH level, mixing time, and mixing speed to reduce turbidity from kaolin-based synthetic turbid water. Powdered neem seeds with a pore size of about 0.45 mm were prepared and used in water treatment under optimum conditions. Results showed that a coagulant dose of 3 g of neem seeds/L, 13.2 pH level, 60 mins mixing time at 80 rpm mixing speed could reduce turbidity levels to 35 NTU from 250 NTU (86% removal). Findings suggest that powdered neem seeds can be a potential substitute for conventional chemical coagulants for drinking water treatment.

Published
Jan 1, 2023
How to Cite
KHAN, Qandeel et al. Turbidity removal through the application of powdered azadirachta indica (neem) seeds. Mehran University Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, [S.l.], v. 42, n. 1, p. 1-8, jan. 2023. ISSN 2413-7219. Available at: <https://publications.muet.edu.pk/index.php/muetrj/article/view/1347>. Date accessed: 29 mar. 2024. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.22581/muet1982.2301.01.
This is an open Access Article published by Mehran University of Engineering and Technolgy, Jamshoro under CCBY 4.0 International License