COAGULATION POTENTIALS OF THE LEAVES OF DESERT DATES, GUIERA, JUJUBE TREE, KAMEL’S FOOT AND MAHOGANY

Abstract

Coagulation activity in water and waste water treatment tends to reduce turbidity by agglomerating the dissolved and suspended particles thereby making them dense enough to settle. Alluminium phosphate is the common solution that is used to achieve coagulation. In case of lacking aluminum phosphate, an alternative has to be considered. In this study, leaves of five trees are considered. The trees include Jujube Tree (Prunus Domestica), Desert dates (Balanites Eagyptiaca), Kamel’s Foot (Piliostigma reticulatum; P. Thonningii), Guiera (Guiera Senegalensis) and Mahogany (Khaya Senegalensis). Leaves of these trees were dried and grinded to powder before they were dissolved in water. Extract of these solution were used for coagulation potentialities with a concentration of 2 ml per liter. Turbidity of the water was tested before coagulation and was found to be 233 NTU. The results of the turbidity after coagulation showed that the water has 53 NTU, 69 NTU, 70 NTU, 74 NTU and 700 NTU for Mahogany, Jujube, Guiera, Desert Dates and Kamel’s Foot respectively. Drinking water limit of 5NTU for turbidity in accordance to W.H.O has not been achieved in all the tests made