Evaluación de la Moringa oleifera como coagulante en el agua de una quebrada altoandina en la ciudad de Huancavelica, Perú

During the coagulation process within a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP), synthetic and organic polymers are used to reduce turbidity. Moringa oleifera (MO) as a natural coagulant, requires using an optimal concentration and dosage in order to reduce the highest amount of turbidity and avoid residual organic matter that requires additional treatment. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the efficiency of the use of OM for the clarification of water from the Taczanapampa stream in the city of Huancavelica, Peru. The ground particles of the seeds of the aforementioned plant were used, evaluating different doses and concentrations to find the optimum in the removal of turbidity in the water, a procedure that was carried out with the laboratory jar test. Regression models validated the behavior of OM in equations.The first model determined the optimal dose and the second model the optimal concentration under the research conditions. The results of the optimal dose were obtained in two ranges: with turbidity lower than 50 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) from 10 to 50 mg/l, also between 50 and 150 NTU from 30 to 100 mg/l; and the optimal concentration for turbidity lower than 150 NTU, in a range of 2 to 3 %. Considering the favorable results for its use and environmentally friendly.