Potential applications of water hyacinth for water, air recycling in closed systems

Abstract

Russian space scientists have done much work on closed ecological life support systems (CELSS) using higher plants and algae both for recycling water and air and regeneration of food. Research in this country has been directed mostly towards physiochemical methods for recycling water and air. Development of CELSS using biological components such as aquatic vascular plants (water hyacinth) has recently been recommended. Use of water hyacinth in open systems for municipal wastewater treatment has been studied extensively along with its many other terrestrial uses (animal feed, source of fresh water through evapotranspiration, methane source, fertilizer and compost). After reviewing the research work in CELSS, controlled environment agriculture, and water hyacinth and its uses, potential applications of water hyacinth in closed ecological systems for water, air recycling are outlined.