Reducing the electrical conductivity of bore well water using natural bioadsorbents and augmenting azolla growth by neem bark powder-clay sorbent Available to Purchase

Experiments were conducted to select suitable plant-based bioadsorbents for the reduction of the electrical conductivity (EC) of bore well water (EC 2.20 dS m⁻¹). Twenty-seven bioadsorbents were tested against salt reduction. Amla leaves, amla stem, prosopis leaves, calotropis flower and neem bark were efficient in reducing the EC from 1.89 to 1.77, 1.73, 1.69, 1.68 and 1.63 dS m⁻¹ respectively. Among all, neem bark powder at 0.05% concentration was superior in reducing the salt content of bore well water (0.39 dS m⁻¹ in 168 hours saturation time). The neem bark powder at 0.05% concentration was successfully used in an azolla multiplication tank and achieved salt reduction from 2.13 to 1.83 dS m⁻¹. Azolla grew well in water with EC 1.83 dS m⁻¹ having failed to grow in water having EC above 2.0 dS m⁻¹.