Yen Mark S. Cabanas, Michael Martin G. Gialogo (February 2002)
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to determine the water-purifying potentials of malunggay, okra and mung bean seeds in terms of the resulting pH of the water and the amount of filterable precipitates. It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in the water quality of water samples in terms of the resulting pH and the amount of filterable precipitates before and after purification using malunggay, okra and mung bean seeds. Water samples have been taken from the Iloilo River and triplicates in each treatment group were treated with crushed seeds of malunggay, okra and mung. Data on the initial and final pH of the water and the amount of filterable precipitates have been statistically analyzed. Statistical tools used were the mean and the standard deviation for descriptive statistical analysis and the t-test and One-Way ANOVA for dependent samples, set at 0.05 alpha level of significance.
Results showed that malunggay, okra and mung seeds were capable of decreasing the pH level of turbid water. They were also capable of precipitating the dissolved solids in the turbid water, thus removing them. Among the seeds, okra precipitated the greatest amount of dissolved solids, while the mung precipitated the least. Malunggay seed was able to significantly lower the pH of the turbid water but was not able to precipitate a significantly greater amount of the dissolved solid in the water. Okra seeds, on the other hand, was able to significantly lower the pH of the turbid water and precipitate a significantly greater amount of dissolved solids in the turbid water. Mung seed, just like the malunggay seed, was able to significantly lower the pH of the turbid water but was not able to precipitate a significantly greater amount of dissolved solid in the water. In terms of the resulting pH of the turbid water, the malunggay was the most potent. In terms of the amount of filterable precipitate extracted from the turbid water, the malunggay and the okra seeds are good coagulant of the filterable solids in the turbid water.