Coagulation Potential of Leaf-Based Natural Materials in the Treatment of Industrial Pharmaceutical Wastewater

The growing demand for healthcare and population increase have accelerated the pharmaceutical industry, resulting in large-scale drug production processes. Consequently, partially or fully treated effluents are often released into the environment, posing risks to both ecosystems and human health. Pharmaceutical wastewater, particularly antibiotics, significantly contaminates aquatic habitats. This study investigated the use of plant-based natural coagulants (NC) as a low-cost, sustainable, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic chemicals for the treatment of industrial pharmaceutical wastewater. Among the various natural coagulants, Moringa oleifera (moringa leaves) and Mangifera indica (mango leaves) were selected for this study. Jar test experiments were performed by mixing a 3 mL stock solution of each coagulant with 1000 mL of pharmaceutical wastewater in a beaker. The treatment was conducted under varying hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 2, 4, 6, and 8 h using 150 µm coagulant powders. Parameters such as pH, turbidity, TS, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), alkalinity, phenolic compounds, and phosphate were analyzed. The results indicated that moringa leaf powder achieved the highest COD reduction of approximately 86% at an 8 h HRT. Furthermore, the treated coagulant residues were analyzed using FE-SEM and EDX to evaluate surface morphology and elemental composition before and after wastewater treatment.