Evaluation of Strychnos Potatorum Seed Paste as a Natural Coagulant for Water Purification

Abstract

Introduction: Strychnos potatorum, a threatened Ayurvedic plant, is traditionally used for water purification due to its bioactive compounds, including alkaloids and flavonoids, which exhibit coagulant and antimicrobial properties. Despite its historical use, comprehensive studies on its efficacy in treating polluted water are limited.

Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of Strychnos potatorum seed paste in improving the physicochemical, chemical, and microbial quality of polluted water, aiming to validate its traditional application and explore its potential in modern water treatment.

Methods: Polluted water samples were collected from Wazirabad, Delhi, and treated with 1 g/L Strychnos potatorum seed paste, mixed, and filtered. Untreated and treated samples were analyzed for 32 parameters, including turbidity, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), heavy metals, chlorides, sulphates, nitrates, phenolics, and microbial load, using standard methods. Microbial analysis involved culturing on Luria broth agar.

Results: Treatment reduced TDS (523 to 511 mg/L), hardness (192 to 176 mg/L), pH (8.34 to 7.41), chlorides (138.6 to 122.3 mg/L), sulphates (58.2 to 51.4 mg/L), nitrates (9.4 to 8.6 mg/L), lead (0.0017 to 0.0014 mg/L), copper (0.0047 to 0.0042 mg/L), and eliminated phenolic compounds (0.19 to 0 mg/L) and coliform bacteria. Turbidity increased (0.4 to 3.9 NTU), and zinc (0 to 1.12 mg/L) and aluminium (0.0015 to 0.021 mg/L) levels rose.

Conclusion: Strychnos potatorum seed paste significantly enhances polluted water quality by reducing contaminants and microbial load, supporting its traditional use. However, increased turbidity and metal leaching suggest the need for dosage optimization and pre-treatment to ensure safety. This natural coagulant shows promise as a sustainable water purification solution, warranting further research for large-scale applications.