Stichting Bakens Verzet
1018 AM Amsterdam, Netherlands
Reg.nr.
34235506 Chamber of Commerce/KvK
BTW/VAT nr. NL8150.17.972 B01
Bank: Triodos Bank
: IBAN NL90 TRIO 078.13.27.598
Direction
T.E.(Terry) Manning
Schoener 50, 1771 ED Wieringerwerf,
The Netherlands
Tel 0031-227-604128;
E-mail:
(nameatendofline)@xs4all.nl; Homepage: http://www.flowman.nl
: bakensverzet
"Money
is not the key that opens the gates of the market but the bolt that bars
them."
Gesell,
Silvio, The Natural Economic Order, revised English edition, Peter Owen, London
1958, page 228
Edition 01 : 14 September,
2007
Locally built Moringa sand filters
for water purification
The 13 known species of Moringa or horseradish trees
have interesting properties for use in integrated development projects. All
parts of the trees, which grow quickly in almost any soil conditions, have
useful applications. The specific application dealt with in this section is water purification in conjunction
with biosand filters. The seed of the Moringa tree, and of the species Moringa
Oleifera in particular, has recognised
medicinal properties. Diaphragms made from crushed Moringa seed fibres,
following extraction of the 40% of valuable oil contained in the seeds, are
placed on top of a locally built biosand filter. Water which has passed through
these filters is clean and fit for direct human consumption. Within the
framework of sustainable integrated development projects under the Model here
presented, Moringa biosand filters can be used by the inhabitants of the
project area to filter harvested rainwater as back-up for their normal clean
drinking water supplies.
In emergencies, Moringa seed milk can be used to
purify drinking water where biosand
filters are not available.
Some information on the Moringa
(Horseradish) tree.
General
information on the Moringa Oleifera (Horseradish) tree.
More
technical information on the coagulation properties of Moringa seed paste.
Biosand
filters.
Information
on BioSand filters (Tear Fund).
Information on the Moringa sand filters.
Construction of biosand filters.
How to make a Moringa biosand filter.
How to prepare the Moringa seed paste
for the diaphragm.
Crush
the seed kernels to extract the oil, which can be used for food, for cooking,
for soap-making or other applications. This can be done by hand or mechnically.
The
seed cake left is then mixed with a small quantity of water to form a paste.
About 6000mg of ground moringa seeds should be used with one liter of
water for this purpose.
Form
a 2cm thick layer of the paste on top of
the biosandfilter materials.
Add
water through the diffuser plate in the biosand filter and agitate/stir
regularly thereafter.
The
moringa paste should be stirred once in a day for 5-10 minutes once water is
being filtered.
The
2cm paste layer should be removed
(and replaced) at least every 7-14 days. The preferred thickness of 2cm
model optimises performance and checks the likely retardation in water passage
(plugging) of the biosand filter.
It
is not necessary to add proprietary chemicals like chlorine to biosand filters
fitted with a 2cm layer of moringa seed paste. The effective coagulation
properties of the moringa oleifera paste makes post filtration chlorination
unnecessary.
How to prepare Moringa seed milk to purify drinking water in emergencies.
Allow
the moringa seed pods to dry naturally on the tree before harvesting them.
Remove the moringa seed husks, leaving a whitish kernel.
Crush the seed kernel to a powder with a stone or a mortar.
Mix the powder with a small quantity of clean water in a small cup.
Pour the mixture through a tea strainer or sieve into a cup. It's best to cover
the strainer with a piece of clean cloth.
Add the resulting milky fluid to the water you wish to purify.
Stir quickly for 30 seconds, then slowly and regularly for 5 minutes.
Cover the water and do not disturb it for at least an hour.
The clean water may be siphoned off the top of the container.
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