(414j) Water Filtration Using Moringa Oleifera Functionalized Sand

Popular methods currently used for cleaning water in developing communities include slow sand filtration and chlorination. However, these methods can be complicated and are not always practical to implement in many of the communities that need them.  Seed proteins, such as the Moringa oleifera Cationic Protein (MOCP), can be used for water sanitation by flocculating sediment and bacteria from contaminated water.  MOCP has a large number of positively charged residues, which makes it effective in binding to negatively charged bacteria and sediment creating large floccs that can settle or be filtered.  In addition, the protein has a hydrophobic, proline rich region that gives the protein antibacterial properties.  The cationic MOCP can be irreversibly bound to negatively charged sand particles and used in a continuous flow sand column.  This approach is similar to the iron, aluminum, and quaternary amine functionalized sands that have been previously used to create a positive charged sand interfaces for removal of bacteria and viruses.   This presentation will discuss the adsorption of MOCP to sand, characterization of the structure and stability of the protein, and characterization of the ability of the functionalized sand to adsorb bacteria and sediment.  The use of the functionalized sand in columns for removal of bacteria and turbidity will also be discussed.