Use of agricultural waste: pitaya cladode in sustainable treatment of water for human consumption - part 1

This study investigates the innovative use of dragon fruit cladode (Selenicereus undatus (Haw.) D.R. Hunt) as a natural coagulant for drinking water treatment, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical coagulants. The cladode, an abundant agricultural byproduct, was directly applied as a powder without extraction steps, highlighting the originality, simplicity, and feasibility of the method. Tests conducted under different pH conditions and rapid mixing times demonstrated that at pH 3, the cladode achieved performance equivalent to aluminum sulfate, with turbidity removals exceeding 90% after 12 minutes of agitation. While the removal of apparent color at natural pH showed some limitations, extending the agitation time significantly improved the coagulant’s efficiency. This study underscores the potential of dragon fruit cladode for decentralized water treatment, particularly in rural communities or regions with limited access to conventional coagulants, promoting the reuse of regional agricultural waste as an innovative, sustainable, and accessible solution to improve water quality in areas with constrained infrastructure.