Coagulation activity of chitin binding protein from garden candytuft seeds in water treatment

In densely populated developing countries, water is limited, thus reservoirs are used and turbidity of the water rises during raining seasons. Because of this, a wide variety of chemical coagulants are required that raises the expense of treatment. The present research emphasizes mainly on using a plant-derived component as a natural coagulant and making ensure its supply is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Natural coagulants like carbohydrates, proteins exhibit the coagulation activity due to presence of charged particle and the suspended charge particles. This work focuses on the isolation and identification of natural coagulant proteins from Iberis umbellata L. seeds in order to improve the efficacy of turbidity removal and a coagulant protein chitin binding protein (CBP) has been purified and identified. Ammonium sulphate solution at 70% saturation was used to precipitate CBP through dialysis, and spin column chromatography was performed to purify it. Purified CBP has a molecular weight of around 14 kDa, determined by SDS-PAGE. The results showed that at varying pH levels, the coagulation activity of the seed extracts of I. umbellata and Moringa oleifera (Mo) was tested against turbid pond water and clay solution. At pH 7, the greatest reduction in turbidity was attained. After 120 min, the coagulation activity findings showed that Mo seed extract had 89% coagulation activity against the clay solution and CBP from I. umbellata had 87%. In contrast to M. oleifera (Mo) seed extract, which showed 82% coagulation activity, CBP showed a maximum of 83% coagulation activity against pond water. As a possible agent for water treatment, the active coagulant CBP protein would be useful in developing less expensive ways to scale up the coagulant protein from the seeds I. umbellata.