Moringa oleifera leaf as a natural water purifier and causes decontamination of fecal-coliform bacteria

Abstract

This study aimed to focus on the Nile's raw water purification and sanitation in the Warraq al Hadar area, Egypt, using Moringa oleifera leaf powder. The water turbidity, pH, and total fecal-coliforms were assessed. The water turbidity and pH were decreased on addition of M. oleifera leaf powder at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 µg\ ml; with reductions of 49.8, 68.7, 87.4, 92.0, and 93.7 % for turbidity, while the pH was reduced by 12.37, 20.0, 28.14, 38.14, and 38.14%, respectively. Using the most probable number approach (MPN), the highest decrease in the coliform bacterial count was observed at 10 µg\ ml of MOL recording 60 cfu\ 100 ml. On estimating the in vitro inhibitory effect of M. oleifera leaf powder on the fecal-coliform bacterial strains using the agar well diffusion assay, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 was the most affected strain, recording an inhibition zone diameter of 37.0 mm, while Salmonella typhi DSM 17058 was the least inhibited strain with an IZD of 30.0 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of M. oleifera leaf powder was 6.25 µg\ ml for E. coli, Shigella sonnei DSM 5570, and S. typhi DSM 17058, while it was 12.5 µg\ ml for Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 7080. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the M. oleifera leaf powder was equivalent to 25.0 µg\ ml for Enterococcus faecalis, 12.50 µg\ ml for S. typhi, and 6.25 µg/ ml for E. coli and Shigella sonnei. Biocompatibility of the M. oleifera leaf powder was confirmed using the oral epithelial cell lines (OEC), which recorded an IC50 of 716.1 μg\ ml, whereas cell viability of 100.0, 94.1, 90.5, and 88.0 % was observed on application of the MOL powder at different doses of 25, 50, 100, and 150 μg\ ml, respectively.