POU water treatment technology for developing countries

The Point-of-Use (POU) technology deals with investigating the combined applicability of natural coagulants extracted from seeds of seven agrobased plants and inactivation of E.coli with solar disinfection to clarify turbid water. In this study, the coagulant properties of natural coagulants like Moringa oleifera, Strychnous potatorum, Zeemays, Pysum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Abelmoschus esculentum and Coccinia grandis are quantitatively evaluated for the first time. These investigations confirmed positive coagulation activities and 100% inactivation of E.coli with solar disinfection when used seqentially.Once optimized, application of these readily available plants seeds and solar disinfection as a part of point-of-use water treatment technology may offer a practical, inexpensive, and appropriate solution for producing potable water at household level in developing rural communities for improving water quality and for reducing associated negative health effects, such as diarrhoeal disease, dehydration, and death.