Plastic pollution has become a health issue because it endangers the\nhuman body. However, a recent study has revealed the remarkable ability\nof the moringa tree, dubbed the \u201cmiracle tree\u201d, to tackle the\nproblem.<\/p>\n
The plant, which is associated with mystical beliefs in Indonesia, is\nrich in nutrients and has been proven highly efficient at removing\nmicroplastics from drinking water.<\/p>\n
According to a CNN International report, the benefits of moringa seed\nextract were discovered by scientists from Brazil and the United\nKingdom. The fast-growing moringa tree has an effectiveness equivalent\nto commercial chemicals in filtering microplastics.<\/p>\n
The research, published in April 2026, shows significant potential\nfor using natural materials as a replacement for chemical coagulants in\nwater treatment systems.<\/p>\n
Adriano Gon\u00e7alves dos Reis, the study\u2019s author and a professor at the\nS\u00e3o Paulo State University Institute of Science and Technology,\nexplained that moringa has actually been used to purify water for\nthousands of years by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Together\nwith his colleagues, dos Reis has studied moringa seeds for a decade as\na natural \u201ccoagulant\u201d capable of making small particles in water stick\ntogether so they can be easily filtered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is so small that I cannot be certain, but microplastics have been\nfound everywhere from the deep sea to towering mountains,\u201d the report\nsaid, highlighting the danger of particles that can contaminate the\nhuman body, including the brain and reproductive system.<\/p>\n
The study focused on testing PVC microplastics, known as one of the\nmost dangerous and commonly found in tap water. They tested particles\nwith an average size of 18.8 micrometres\u2014about a quarter of the\nthickness of a human hair\u2014and found striking results in the filtration\nsystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoringa seed extract was 98.5% effective at removing microplastics\nfrom tap water when used in a filtration system,\u201d said Gon\u00e7alves dos\nReis, explaining that the efficiency is comparable to aluminium\nsulphate, or alum, commonly used in water treatment plants.<\/p>\n
The main advantage of using moringa seeds compared with alum is that\nthey are renewable, biodegradable and do not produce large amounts of\nsludge waste. In addition, using natural seeds reduces the risk of\ntoxicity because high levels of aluminium are often linked to\nneurodegenerative diseases.<\/p>\n
Matthew Campen, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the\nUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who was not involved in\nthe study, offered his view on the economic value of the discovery.\nAccording to him, replacing aluminium-based filtration systems with\nnatural products could have a positive impact on the environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing natural products to replace aluminium-based filtration systems\nmay offer a cheaper and more sustainable solution for PVC microplastic\nremoval,\u201d Campen said.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the research still has limitations on a large scale\nbecause one moringa seed can only process about 10 litres of water. This\nmeans a massive number of seeds would be needed for water treatment\nplants in large cities with very high water flow.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough this is promising, it would require a very large number of\nseeds for large urban treatment plants. This technique may be most\nuseful for small communities or places where chemical coagulants are\ndifficult to access,\u201d Gon\u00e7alves dos Reis added.<\/p>\n
Further research is still needed to understand how moringa seed\nextract degrades, what happens to the captured PVC, and the\ncost-effectiveness of this method if applied on a mass scale. Campen\nstressed the importance of finding microplastic solutions now because\nhuman exposure to plastic particles is predicted not to change for\nseveral decades.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Indonesia, moringa plants have begun to be cultivated\nfor economic purposes in both rural and urban areas. According to LPEI\ndata from January to September 2024, moringa-based exports reached a\nvolume of 4,350 tonnes with a value of US$13.75 million, with\nIndonesia\u2019s main markets being China, Malaysia, Japan and the Middle\nEast.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/moringa-leaves-prove-effective-in-filtering-microplastics-from-water-1786243844", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }