DECONTAMINATION OF LEACHATES USING MORINGA OLEIFERA AND HIBISCUS ROSA-SINENSIS AS COAGULANTS AIDSAGBOR R.B., EDU N.E. AND ODOK E.NAbstract Urbanization and increase in human population have resulted to increased in environmental pollution causing serious effect on community dwellers as a result of dumping of municipal waste derived from household, industries and commercial source leaching into the ground water. This study was designed to test the efficacy of two natural plant extracts of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts (MLE) and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaf extract (HLE) as coagulant aid in the treatment of leachate. The MLE and HLE were extracted using Soxhlet method with 98% ethanol at different concentrations (0g, 50g, 100g and 150g). The leachate samples were obtained from Calabar Lemna dumpsite. The treated leachate samples were allowed to coagulate for 21 days. Data collected were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results for physicochemical properties revealed that the treated leachate samples significantly increase the pH, calcium, potassium and phosphorus content with significant reduction in the sodium, magnesium and chlorine contents when compared with the control groups. The result for the heavy metals show that the Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Zn, Ni were significantly reduced after treatment with MLE and HLE as compared with the control groups that had high levels of this elements. However, among the two extracts Moringa oleifera tend to have a strong buffering affinity in improving the physico-chemical properties of the leachate and also a strong coagulant aid in reducing the levels of Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe, Zn and Ni in the leachate samples than the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaf extract. Both the two natural coagulants have the efficacy to reduced heavy metals as well as improve the physico-chemical content of leachate. |