Phytochemicals and phyto-disinfectant properties of citrus species (Citrus limon, Citrus aurantifolia and Citrus sinensis) for pond water purification

Abstract

The health concern associated with the use of chemical disinfectant in water purification has necessitated the search of safe and effective water treatment agents from natural sources. The leaf, stem, seed and bark of Citrus limon, Citrus aurantifolia and Citrus sinensis were investigated for phytochemicals and disinfectant properties on contaminated pond water at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 g/L. Microbial quality of the water sample was investigated at 12 hrs interval. The leaf and bark of C. aurantifolia and the bark of C. limon contains all the phytochemicals tested. Steroids and alkaloids were present in all parts of the plant. Cardiac glycosides and terpenes were present in all parts of Citrus sinensis. A total of 10 different bacteria isolates were identified from ponds water sample. The stem of Citrus aurantifolia completely eliminated the total viable count, total coliform count, fecal coliform count after 12 h. The leaf, bark and seed of C. aurantifolia at 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 g/L, leaf and bark of C. limon and C. sinensis at 0.1-0.5 g/L eliminated the various bacteria after 24 hours. However, the stem and seed of C. limon were less active; only concentrations of 0.4 and 0.5g/L eliminated the organism after 24 h of treatment. The plant materials had minimum inhibitory concentration in the ranged of 16 and 128 mg/g and minimum bactericidal concentrations in the ranged 16 and 256 mg/g against all the isolates. It is concluded that the leaf, stem bark and seed of citrus species contains various phytochemicals and have the potentials to serve as a disinfectant for water treatment.

Phytochemical Screening, Therapeutic Benefits, and Adverse Effects of Citrus aurantifolia - A Review

“…Nata 'ala et al (2018) utilized the stem of C. aurantifolia, which was grounded and extracted, and reported the MIC value of 50 mg/ml ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis, 100 mg/ml ethanolic extract against Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 100 mg/ml aqueous extract against Klebsiella pneumoniae, while the MBC value was reported to be 100 mg/ml ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis, 200 mg/ml ethanolic extract against Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 200 mg/ml aqueous extract against Klebsiella pneumonia. Meanwhile, Okunlola et al (2019) reported the inhibitory activity of plant seed, bark, and stem at concentrations of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 g/L after 24 hours' treatment, and also reported similar MIC and MBC value towards Bacillus megatarium, Kluyvera ascorbate, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus myxofaciens, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Salmonella spp, albeit found no antibacterial effect against Shigella dysenteriae.…”

“…The qualitative testing of various phytochemicals from various studies were summarized in Table 1. MeOH: methanol; Aq: aqueous; EtOH: ethanol; Phe: phenolics; Fla: flavonoids; Ste: steroids; Ter: terpenoids; Sap: saponin; Tan: tannin; Alk: alkaloid; Ant: anthraquinone; Gly: glycosides; Car: carbohydrates; N/A: not available (not tested); +: present; -: absent Not much research had been done on the seeds, as it only contained three types of phytochemicals, which are alkaloids, terpenes, and steroids (Okunlola et al, 2019). Generally, key lime fruit peel, juice, leaves, and stems all contain phenols, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, and alkaloids, while the presence of saponin, tannin, anthraquinone, glycosides, and carbohydrates varies.…”