Plantago ovata Medicinal Plant and Water Treatment

Authors

Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Plantago ovata is a medicinal plant of plantain, Plantaginaceae, family used to treat intestinal disorders and stomach diseases. P. ovata grain has relieving effects and healing inflammation and irritation of the mucous layer of stomach and duodenal ulcer. Beside the medicinal benefits, this plant is useful for water turbidity removal. Coagulation and flocculation are important processes in water treatment. Artificial coagulants are not useful from economic and health point of view. The objective of this study is to compare performance of chloroferric coagulant (alone) and with P. ovata coagulant aid in water turbidity removal. The experiments were done in turbidity of 50 NTU. In all experiments the amount of chloroferric was 10 ppm and optimum dose of P. ovata was 0.1 ppm at optimum pH of 7. P. ovata at 50 NTU turbidity, reduced turbidity up to 94.5% whereas chloroferric alone could reduce 85.16% of turbidity. Having been contained mucilage, protein and starch,P. ovata would reduce consumption of coagulants and be effective in water turbidity removal as a coagulant aid. 

Keywords


1. Kebreab AG. Moringa seed and pumice as alternative natural materials for drinking water treatment, KTH land and Water Resources Engineering Univ, TRITA. LWR PhD Thesis 1013, 2004.
2. Reynolds, T, Richards P. Unit operations and processes in environmental engineering. Translated by Torkiyan, A, Jafarzadeh, M. Water quality and quantity chapter. 2000;105-106.
3. Shahriari T, Nabi Bidhendi G. Starch Efficiency in Water Turbidity Removal,Asian J. Nat. Appl. Sci. 2012;2:134-137.
4. Lamer, V.K., Healy, T.W., ‘Adsorption- flocculation reactions of micromolecules at the solid- liquid interface.’ Rev. Pure App. Chem. 1963;13:112-132.
5. Kawamura S. Effectiveness of natural polyelectrolytes in water treatment, J. Am. Water Works Assoc. 1991;83:88-91.
6. Christopher R, Schulz D, Okun A. Surface water treatment for communities in developing countries, Itdg Publishing. 1992.
7. Diaz A, Rincon N, Escorichuela A, Fernandez N. A preliminary evalution of turbidity removal by natural coagulants indigeneous to Venezuela, Process Biochem. 1999;35:391-395.
8. Letterman R.D, Pero RW, Contaminants in polyelectrolytes used in water treatment, AWWA, Research and Technology. 1990; Nov. 
9. Kawamura S. Effectiveness of Chitosan for water treatment, Edited by Mat B.Zakaria, Wan Mohamad Wan Muda, Md Pausi Abdullah, Penerbit University Kebang Saan Malaysia, Bangi, 1995. 
10. Chadho KL, Rajender G. Advances in Horticulture Medicinal and Aromatic plants, Vol 11, Maldorta, Pub. New Delhi. 1995.
11. Basudehradun BD, Bisha S, Manhendrapol S. Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol 1-5, 1-1033, Today and Tomorrow’s Pub, 1989.
12. Nabi Bidhendi G, Shahriari T, Shahriari Sh. Plantago ovata Efficiency in Elimination of Water Turbidity. J. Water resource and Protection, 2009;1:90–98.
13. Raychaudhuri SP, Ahmad J. Cultivation of important medicinal Plants, in India, In: ‘Glimpses in Plant Research, Vol 10, Medicinal Plants: New Vistas of Research (Part 1), (Eds. Govil, J.N., Singh, V.K. and Hashmi, S), Today and Tomorrow’s Printers and Publishers, Pub. New Delhi, 1993, pp. 247-256.
14. Caranjal VR, Rao MV, Siw B. Limits imposed by management in irrigated farming systems. In: ‘Food Legume Improvement for Asian Farming Systems.’ (Eds.Wallis, E.S, and Byte, D.E.). 64-71, Proceedings of an International Workshop held at Khankhaen. Thiland. ACIAR. 1987;18:341.
15. Hornock L. Cultivation and Processing of Medicinal Plants, Academ, Pub. Budapest. 1992.
16. Kumar N, Abdulghader JBM, Rangaswami P, Irulappen I. Introduction to spices, Plantation Crops, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Oxford and IBH. Pub, 1997.
17. Dinda K, Craker LE. Growers Guide to Medicinal Plants. HSMP Press. Pub. Amherst, 1998.