Feasibility study of a point of use technique for water treatment using plant-based coagulant and isolation of a bioactive compound with bactericidal properties

Sustainable and greener solution for water treatment problems is the persistent need of the hour. The use of Strychnos potatorum is familiar among the indigenous communities living in the drought ridden regions of South Asia where they depend on turbid surface water to meet their drinking water requirements. In the present study, the microbial disinfection efficacy of this indigenous natural coagulant, S. potatorum is studied in synthetic turbid water. Batch experiments spiked with Escherichia coli and MS-2 bacteriophage on treatment with natural coagulant, seed extract of S. potatorum showed 3.3–4.3 log and 1.3 log reduction of E. coli and MS-2 bacteriophage, respectively. Effect of coagulant dosage, pH, alkalinity, and ionic strength on turbidity removal is reported. The optimum dose ranges from 0.2 to 1 mg/L for different turbidity regimes. A bioactive compound, methyl palmitoleate was isolated from the methanolic extract of the seeds and characterized. The bactericidal activity of both the aqueous extract and isolated bioactive compound were also demonstrated.