Abstract
Duckweed, a floating freshwater plant, is an excellent phytoremediator used in wastewater treatment and ecosystem restoration. However, the large amount of plant biomass generated presents a bigger problem. This work highlights our efforts towards sustainable waste management of aquatic plant biomass by way of waste recycling and valorization. Novel paper pulp from duckweed biomass yielded various pulp-based products including handmade paper, packing materials and packing board. Paper produced was found to have 139 g/m2 and 6–14 N/1.5 cm gram per square meter and tensile strength respectively. Biochar obtained from the biomass after pyrolysis exhibited 23.9 nm to 49.49 nm pore size and was used to formulate novel soil conditioners that increased the seed vigour of fenugreek, green gram, wheat and pearl millet by 53.41, 87.98, 148.25 and 122.41 % respectively. Thus, two novel applications of a waste biomass were successfully established, concomitantly establishing sustainability and circularity in waste aquatic biomass management.
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