A widely cultivated and useful tropical tree may provide a solution to the diminishing supply of safe drinking water in many parts of the world, a researcher says.
The seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree, which grows in tropical regions, could be used to provide a 90 percent or more reduction in bacterial contamination without any extra equipment, Michael Lea, a researcher at Clearinghouse says. Clearinghouse is a Canadian organization that studies low-cost water purification methods.
The Moringa oleifera tree, has been called "The World's Most Useful Tree." In addition to the seeds that can purify water, it also produces oil for lighting, fertilizer, rope, paper and used for tanning leather.
"Trees for Life," a nonprofit organization based in Kansas, has been working for 15 years advocating the leaves as a micronutrient-rich diet supplement that can be dried and added to food supplement.
A compound in the seeds acts as a chemical coagulant that draws impurities out of the water. Effectively the process is as simple as crushing the seeds and mixing them into water.
The idea works similar to the process of sedimentation: letting turbid water sit to allow a large percentage of solids and bacteria to settle down at the bottom. Then the good clean water can be taken out.
Source: AOL News.
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