Moringa, a common plant found in Indian kitchens, can clean the water you drink

Since it's biodegradable, chemical-free, and can even be prepared at home, moringa could bring safer drinking water to places that need it most.

In Short

• Microplastics found in tap water pose health risks like tissue damage
• Moringa seeds from India can purify water by clumping microplastics for removal
• Moringa is biodegradable, suitable for rural and small communities

Every time you drink a glass of tap water, you may be swallowing something you can't see, something that has become omnipresent in recent years.

That something is microplastics, which are tiny fragments of plastic, often smaller than a grain of sand, that break off from bottles, packaging, and other everyday items.

Microplastics have become a widely-discussed issue and are being found in rivers, tap water, and even in human blood. These fragments can lead to tissue damage, liver and kidney issues, and hormonal imbalance.

Furthermore, getting rid of them isn't easy, and current methods rely on industrial chemicals that come with their own health risks.

But luckily, scientists think a humble plant might offer a better way.

WHAT IS MORINGA?

Researchers at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil have found that moringa, a plant native to India that grows widely across tropical regions, could help remove microplastics from water.

Moringa is no stranger to kitchens and health stores; its leaves and seeds are commonly eaten for their nutritional value. But its seeds may have another powerful use. They can purify water.

The team of researchers found that a salt extract made from moringa seeds works similarly to aluminium sulphate, a chemical widely used in water treatment plants. Aluminium sulphate helps to clump together and remove contaminants. But the study discovered that in more alkaline water, the plant-based extract from moringa can actually outperform the chemical solution.

HOW DOES MORINGA CLEAN WATER?

Think of microplastics in water like tiny magnets all facing the same direction. They push each other away, and make it essentially impossible to catch with a simple filter. That's because microplastics and other contaminants carry a negative electrical charge, which causes them to repel each other and resist being captured during filtration.

Coagulants like moringa extract neutralise these charges, causing particles to clump together into larger clusters that can then be removed.

The researchers tested the method using PVC microplastics which were added to tap water. PVC microplastics are one of the most harmful plastic types, with known cancer-linked properties.

The contaminated samples were then treated and filtered, with results compared against aluminium sulphate. Both treatments showed similar levels of microplastic removal.

The main concern with aluminium sulphate is that it leaves behind dissolved organic matter, which can make further treatment more expensive. On a smaller scale, such as in rural areas and smaller communities, moringa could offer a cost-effective and efficient alternative.

Since it's biodegradable, chemical-free, and can even be prepared at home, moringa could bring safer drinking water to places that need it most.

The finding has once again highlighted the potential for nature to hold solutions to many of the problems Earth faces today. The only thing left is to ensure we are looking at the right places.

- Ends