Abstract

Solar Water Disinfection, known as SODIS, is a treatment method involving the exposure of water to solar radiation (UVA light and heat) to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms. Organic coagulants extracted from Moringa oleifera (T1) and Salvia hispanica (T2) were used in conjunction with the filtration process as auxiliaries. This process included sand filters with particle sizes ranging from 0.25 mm to 0.850 mm and a non-woven geotextile placed at its base. After undergoing the coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation/filtration process, the samples were exposed to sunlight in a solar concentrator using bottles painted on half of their surface (PR) and unpainted bottles (BR). The analyzed parameters included physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and apparent color, as well as microbiological parameters, including E. coli and total coliforms. The results of physicochemical analyses demonstrated the superiority of T1 in terms of turbidity and apparent color. Regarding microbiological analyses, they showed the effective removal of E. coli and total coliforms, with 100% inactivation observed in the samples. It was observed that the applied treatment sequence significantly reduced the microbiological load of the samples; however, it cannot be stated with certainty whether the coagulants exerted any influence on this result.

Keywords:
coagulants; coliforms; filtration; microorganisms