Study of Enhancing Moringa Oleifera Lam Seeds as Coagulants Using Turmeric

Heavy metal contamination from sources like Copper(II) solutions is a significant environmental concern. Natural coagulants like Moringa oleifera offer a sustainable alternative to chemical treatments, but their efficiency can be limited. This study investigates a novel, fully natural system to enhance Cu(II) removal by exploring the synergy between Moringa oleifera seeds and turmeric extract. We direct this development towards addressing copper disposal in school labs, which is one of the sources of copper pollution, besides copper pipe erosion and industrial wastes. A series of batch coagulation-flocculation experiments were conducted to determine the optimal dosages for removal. Moringa oleifera seeds alone achieved a maximum removal of 36.5% at 96 g/L. The addition of turmeric extract significantly enhanced this process, with the combined system achieving a peak removal of 45.0% at an optimal turmeric dose of 4 mg/L. However, excess turmeric was found to inhibit the process, likely due to the formation of neutral complexes. The findings validate a synergistic, dual mechanism where curcumin first chelates Cu(II) ions into larger complexes that are then more effectively coagulated by moringa. This work presents a successful proof-of-concept for a low-cost, entirely plant-based system for water purification, contributing to the development of sustainable environmental technologies.