Evaluation of the Efficacy of African Basil (Ocimum gratissimum) Leaf for Disinfecting Well - water obtained from Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

The demand for potable and affordable water led to comparative research of the efficacy of Ocimum gratissimum Leaf (OGL) extract by collecting well water and treated with OGL extract. Both treated and untreated samples were subjected to physiochemical and bacteriological examinations. Data obtained showed that the pH and feacal coliform counts ranged from 6.17 to 6.74 and 0 to 192 CFU/100 mL for well water sample A; 6.56 to 7.24 and 0 to 118 CFU/100 mL for well water samples B; 6.81 to 7.79 and 0 to 75 CFU/100 mL for well water samples C respectively. The OGL extract includes various bioactive components (i.e. steroids, tannins, etc) according to the phytochemical tests. The first feacal coliform count was above the allowed range (i.e. >50 CFU/100 mL) and the pH value tended to be acidic (6.5), with a colour of >15 H.U. and an unclear (brownish) appearance. The Coliform count was lowered with each dosage of OGL extract until it reached zero count after 24 hours’ contact time at an optimum dosage of 5 mL and the total bacteria counts were gone. The beneficial influence (s) from this study confirms the disinfectant potential of OGL extract for well water treatment.