Fabrication of a Parali (Rice Straws) Biomass & Herbal Based Filtration System for Sustainable Rural Water Purification

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water remains a serious challenge in rural India, where traditional chemical and membrane-based filtering systems are often unavailable due to their high cost, energy requirements, and maintenance demands. This work develops and validates a low-cost, eco-friendly herbal filtration system for Mubarakpur hamlet by combining the antibacterial properties of plant extracts with natural filter media. The physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of the water samples collected from ponds, wells, sewage, and tap sources included turbidity, pH, COD, BOD, heavy metals, and bacterial load. Herbal extracts derived from Neem (Azadirachta indica), Bael (Aegle marmelos), Lemon, Amla, Moringa, Garlic, and Ginger had bactericidal effects when tested for antimicrobial activity; however, the peels of Bael and Lemon exhibited the best inhibition of Streptobacillus species. A six-layer prototype filtration device including cotton cloth, charcoal, parali biomass, gravel, sand, and a layer of herbal extract was created as a result of these findings. The extracts of lemon and bael exhibited the greatest inhibition of Streptobacillus species when tested for antibacterial activity. A six-layer prototype filtration device including cotton cloth, charcoal, parali biomass, gravel, sand, and a layer of herbal extract was created as a result of these findings. Laboratory testing of the small prototype revealed significant improvements in water quality: the microbial load dropped from 2,000,000 CFU/mL to 0 CFU/mL, the turbidity went from 300 NTU to 0.8 NTU, the COD decreased from 1000 mg/L to 9 mg/L, and the BOD decreased from 200 mg/L to 3.5 mg/L. Lead levels in tap water (0.02 mg/L) were also reduced to undetectable levels.