Assessment of the Antimicrobial Effect of Moringa Oleifera Seed Powder in the Treatment of Water for Consumption in Cameroon: The Case of Borehole Water in the Kribi Area

Abstract

Background: Drinking water is a vital natural resource whose effective access remains a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa, as in Cameroon, where the majority of the population is confronted with the consumption of untreated water from boreholes or wells that pose as health risks. As a result of this, the integration of biological processes for treating water using a non-toxic natural product; Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera), could be a sustainable alternative for improving the quality of drinking water. The aim of this study was to assess, compared to the one in which of conventional antimicrobials, the antimicrobial effect of M. oleifera seed powder in the treatment of water for potable purpose in Kribi, Ocean Division in the South Region of Cameroon. Material and Methods: An experimental study was conducted from November 2023 to June 2024. Borehole water was collected from four different quarters (one each) in Kribi I and II and transported in a cooler to Yaounde within 24 hours, at the Microbiology Laboratory of the HIMT (Higher Institute of Medical Technology) for analyses. In the laboratory, we cultured these untreated waters, isolated and identified the microorganisms using conventional methods and API20E, and the antimicrobial susceptivity of microorganisms was determined according to disc diffusion methods for antibiotics and antifungals. The contaminated water with confirmed identified microorganisms were later treated with increasing concentrations (0.15 g, 0.25 g and 0.35 g) of M. oleifera seed powder. The antimicrobial activity of the Moringa seed powder was assessed again by calculating the microbiological deduction rate. Results: Four different types of microorganisms were isolated and identified from the borehole water samples, with frequencies of 25% for Escherichia coli, 25% for Staphylococcus aureus, 25% for Candida albicans and 25% for Candida sp. The sensitivity profile demonstrated that E. coli and S. aureus were sensitive to 13.33% and 23.08% respectively of the antibiotics tested, C. albicans and Candida. sp sensitive each to 100% of the antifungals tested. Microbiological activity rates with M. oleifera seed powder varied from 86.7% to 100% for E. coli, 83.34 to 100% for S. aureus, 100% each for Candida sp and C. albicans. Conclusion: Our findings revealed increasing antibacterial and antifungal activities of M. oleifera seed powder after a short settling time, thus demonstrating its importance in improving the quality of drinking water for human consumption and preventing health risks.