Field pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) and Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) seeds have been explored to improve water quality by reducing turbidity, BOD and attached pathogens. The seed components of these plants have high protein content with biocoagulant-flocculants properties which aids in floc formation and settling turbidity. Very few literature reports are available on the water treatment process of these two popular seeds. In this study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the biocoagulant performance capability

of the seeds through the Jar test apparatus. The flocculation process was designed based on different water quality parameters like the seed dose, pH, total dissolved solids, turbidity, sludge volume and coliform count. Simulated water was generated for turbidity reduction studies and coliform count was performed in real water samples. The sludge produced was also much reduced compared to untreated

water. Turbidity reduction achieved after 8 h at pH 6.0 was within 91-92% with significant reduction in BOD and coliform count. Our results highlight the feasibility of the biocoagulant property of both C. pepo and C. arietinum seeds. Further combinatorial treatment of both the seeds could be investigated for their biocoagulant properties as suitable alternatives for chemical coagulants in water purification.

Highlights

• Plant derived Biocoagulants have the potential to improve water quality by turbidity reduction.
• Biocoagulants exhibited antibacterial activity against pathogenic coliforms.