Water Hyacinth Eichhornia Crassipes Research Articles

Physicochemical properties of non-living water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and lesser duckweed (Lemna minor) and their influence on the As(V) adsorption processes

Eichhornia crassipes (Ec) and Lemna minor (Lm) are aquatic plants. They are considered as weeds of the water and approach being a scourge in many parts of the world, choking waterways and hindering transport upon them. At the same time they are known to readily remove heavy metal ions from water. This paper considers the use of non-living plants as novel and inexpensive biosorbent for the removal of As(V) from watersheds. In the first place they were conditioned and characterised to determine their physicochemical and surface properties and in the second place their adsorption properties for As(V) from aqueous solution were evaluated considering the toxicity of this metalloid in the environment. It describes the methodology to prepare the non-living biomasses; the physicochemical characterisation by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA analyses and surface characterisation of Ec and Lm by specific surface, hydration kinetic, point of zero charge determination by mass titration, active site density and XPS analysis are described. Both studied biomasses were found to be potential bio-sorbents for arsenic ions from aqueous solution. According to their efficiency to remove arsenic, they can be used in a very low cost metalloid ions removal system.

Biosorption of cationic dyes from aqueous solution by Water hyacinth roots

Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes was found to have biosorption capacity for cationic dyes, malachite green and methylene blue from aqueous solutions. To evaluate the biosorption capacity and characteristics, the effect of solution pH, initial dye concentration, temperature, dose of biosorbent loading, contact time and shaking rate were investigated in a batch mode. Biosorption was increased with the increasing temperature for both studied dyes. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were used for mathematical description of the sorption equilibrium. Equilibrium data was fitted well to the Langmuir model in the studied concentrations (1-200 mg L-1) at 293 and 313 K. Based on the Langmuir isotherm plots the maximum biosorption capacity values were calculated to be 44.64 mg g-1 for malachite green and 42.55 mg g-1 for methylene blue at 313 K. Various thermodynamic parameters such as ΔGo, ΔHo, and ΔSo were evaluated with results indicating that this system was an endothermic spontaneous reaction and kinetically suited to pseudo-second-order model.

High Cu removal from water using water hyacinth fixed on alginate

The occurrence of toxic metals in waters is a major health issue. Polluted waters can be cleaned by biosorption, which uses organisms such as algae, bacteria, fungi and plants that adsorb metals. In particular, water hyacinth—Eichhornia crassipes—is a promising biosorbent. Here we tested novel alginate-immobilised water hyacinth beads for the removal of Cu from aqueous solutions. Results show that successful service and regeneration continuous cycles were performed using a packed-bed, flow-through column of fixed internal diameter 1.2 cm, at room temperature and pH 5.1, with variation in initial metal concentration, bed depth and flow rate. The eluant used was 1 % w/v CaCl2 acidified at pH 3. A concentration factor of 12 and elution efficiency up to 98 % were observed in five service and regeneration cycles performed. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of Cu remained almost constant at about 29 mg/g. To conclude, we show for the first time that alginate-immobilised water hyacinth beads can uptake and adsorb Cu very efficiently in a continuous-flow mode, hence highlighting their great potential for removal of toxic metals from aquatic environments.

Parametric Analysis of a Heavy Metal Sorption Isotherm Based on Fractional Calculus

Heavy metals are widely recognized as being hazardous to human health and environmentally aggressive. The literature reports different approaches for lead removal, for example, water hyacinths. Heavy metal sorption isotherm modeling represents an important tool towards the study of equilibrium conditions. Fractional calculus represents a novel approach and a growing research field for process modeling, based on derivatives of arbitrary order. Recently, a novel isotherm based on fractional calculus was proposed for lead sorption using water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). This paper reports a general procedure on error analysis and its influence on parameter estimation. It was applied to mathematical models based on fractional differential equations, focusing on a heavy metal novel isotherm sorption model. Parameter variance was calculated by using two different approaches (with the complete Hessian matrix and with a simplified Hessian matrix), and joint parameter confidence regions were generated, being successfully able to show that the fractional nature of the model is statistically valid.

Influence on Certain Herbicides for the Control of Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes (Mart.) Solms) and its Impact on Fish Mortality

An experiment was conducted on the bio-efficacy of certain herbicides for controlling water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and its impact of herbicides on fish mortality. Three herbicides (Fernoxone @ 1.50 kg ha-1, Glycel or Round up @ 2.50 kg ha-1 and Gramoxone @ 1.50 kg ha-1) were tried, all are foliage applied herbicides. Three different fishes were tested such as common carp, mrigal and rohu. Among the herbicides applied, round up caused maximum reduction of plant height of 0.50, 1.00 and 1.00 cm; 2.75, 6.98 and 10.00g of biomass were obtained at 50 DAS on small, medium and large statures of E. crassipes. The cent percent chlorophyll content was recorded compared to control treatment at 28 DAS, whereas it cent percent mortality of E. crassipes at 35 DAS on small, medium and large statures of the weed. Similarly the same herbicides caused the least mortality percent of fishes 23.30, 16.60 and 20.00 on common carp, mrigal and rohu at 32 DAS, respectively compared to other herbicide treatments.

Adsorptive Removal of Ni(II) from Water Using Alginate-Fixed Water Hyacinth: Effect of Organic Substances

The potential of water hyacinth—Eichhornia crassipes biomass immobilized in calcium alginate for the adsorption of Ni(II) from water was studied using the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The equilibrium adsorption data were obtained at different initial Ni(II) concentrations = 0.05 - 2 mg/L, temperature = 30˚C ± 0.2˚C, agitation rate = 150 rpm, equilibration time = 3 hr, biosorbent dose = 4 g/L, and pH range = 4 - 7.4. Langmuir isotherms gave monolayer sorption capacities ( ) of 26.5, 44.3 and 53.0 mg/g for the removal of Ni(II) in the presence of methanol, without adde d organic substance, and in the presence of acetonitrile, respectively. These findings were also confirmed by the trend in the Freundlich isotherm parameter ( m q 1 n 90%). The results from these studies indicated that E. crassipes fixed on calcium alginate beads is a viable metal enrichment media that can be used freely immersed in solution to achieve very high adsorption capacities and possible preconcentration of Ni(II) in aquatic environments.

WORLDWIDE INVASION PATHWAYS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES

ISHS XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Advances in Ornamentals, Landscape and Urban Horticulture WORLDWIDE INVASION PATHWAYS OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN EICHHORNIA CRASSIPES

Methane Carbon Supports Aquatic Food Webs to the Fish Level

Large amounts of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) are produced by anaerobic mineralization of organic matter in lakes. In spite of extensive freshwater CH4 emissions, most of the CH4 is typically oxidized by methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) before it can reach the lake surface and be emitted to the atmosphere. In turn, it has been shown that the CH4-derived biomass of MOB can provide the energy and carbon for zooplankton and macroinvertebrates. In this study, we demonstrate the presence of specific fatty acids synthesized by MOB in fish tissues having low carbon stable isotope ratios. Fish species, zooplankton, macroinvertebrates and the water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes were collected from a shallow lake in Brazil and analyzed for fatty acids (FA) and carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13C). The fatty acids 16∶1ω8c, 16∶1ω8t, 16∶1ω6c, 16∶1ω5t, 18∶1ω8c and 18∶1ω8t were used as signature for MOB. The δ13C ratios varied from −27.7‰ to −42.0‰ and the contribution of MOB FA ranged from 0.05% to 0.84% of total FA. Organisms with higher total content of MOB FAs presented lower δ13C values (i.e. they were more depleted in 13C), while organisms with lower content of MOB signature FAs showed higher δ13C values. An UPGMA cluster analysis was carried out to distinguish grouping of organisms in relation to their MOB FA contents. This combination of stable isotope and fatty acid tracers provides new evidence that assimilation of methane-derived carbon can be an important carbon source for the whole aquatic food web, up to the fish level.

The effects of insect–insect interactions on the performance of three biological control agents released against water hyacinth

Insect–insect interactions can have implications for biological control programmes when multiple agent species are released. In many cases there is an increase in the efficacy when more than one species is used; however, there is a possibility that releasing an additional species into a programme could have a negative effect. The interactions between three arthropod agents of water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms-Laubach, Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho), Neochetina bruchi Hustache and Neochetina eichhorniae Warner were investigated in an experiment to measure the impact that pairwise combinations of the insects may have on their performance. There was a significant interaction between the mirid E. catarinensis and the weevil N. eichhorniae, with significantly fewer weevil feeding scars when in combination with the mirid (approximately 0.2 scars per cm2) than when alone (approximately 0.4 scars per cm2). There were also slightly fewer petioles mined by N. eichhorniae when in combination with the mirid. Interestingly there was a negative interaction between the two weevil species when in combination, with the number of feeding scars being significantly lower per individual when the two species were in combination. None of the insects performed significantly better when in combination with another insect, however, the mirid was never negatively affected by the presence of either weevil species. The interactions observed between the insects tested were identifiable but subtle and are unlikely to have implications on establishment or performance of the insects in the introduced range, South Africa.

The Study of Cadmium Uptake by Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes) Using a Natural Modelling Approach

The results of the investigation on the accumulation of cadmium by water hyacinth, depending on the conditions of pollutant exposure and the presence of various additives are discussed. The main specialty of this study is that all the experiments were carried out in natural conditions using the approach based on the application of the capacities called minicosms. It allowed estimating hit consequences of pollutant on ecosystem most really having made experiment in the conditions as much as possible close to the natural. In this article a very important problem of an accuracy and reliability of the results of trace elements determination in plants is also debated. As a result of carried investigations it was shown that the degree of cadmium extraction by hyacinth from contaminated natural water while maintaining the viability of the plants depends on the way of pollutant introducing into the reservoir and the maximum (about 79%) value is observed in the case of it’s gradual entry.

Effect the Methods and Frequency Of Application By Using Different Doses Of Glyphosate and 2,4-D Herbicides In Controlling Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Mart)Solms and Reducing Contamination In Water

Effect the Methods and Frequency Of Application By Using Different Doses Of Glyphosate and 2,4-D Herbicides In Controlling Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Mart)Solms and Reducing Contamination In Water

Phytoremediation of the polluted Waigang River and general survey on variation of phytoplankton population

The Waigang River, a major tributary of the Qinhuai River system, has suffered from long-standing pollution because of lack of management. Restoration was commenced in April 2006 to reduce pollutants and improve water quality. Four ecological areas and ten surface carriers were constructed for the culture of plants (mainly water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)) for phytoremediation. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus, total nitrogen (TN), ammonia-nitrogen (NH(3)-N), water transparency, and variations in phytoplankton population were investigated to evaluate the effects of restoration. Over 36months, TSS, COD, TN, and NH(3)-N levels decreased by 91.1, 55.3, 91.5, and 86.5%, respectively. Transparency increased from 25cm in 2006 to 165cm in 2009. Improvements in water quality significantly enhanced the diversity of phytoplankton, which were harmed by pollution stress. Our results show that the water hyacinth and ryegrass cultured in the ecological areas and the surface carriers can be used to restore other heavily polluted rivers with conditions similar to those of the Waigang River, especially in the initial stages of restoration.

Establishment of the moth: Niphograpta albiguttalis (Warner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), a biological control agent of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in waterways of Lagos and Ogun states, southwestern Nigeria

The moth Niphograpta albiguttalis was found infesting water hyacinth on waterways in Nigeria in 2009 in the areas of Badagry, Ejirin and Epe in Lagos State and Iwopin in Ogun State. This moth has not been released in Nigeria but it was released as a biological control agent for water hyacinth in Ghana in 1996 and in Benin in 1993. It is not reported to have established in those countries, but it would appear that as a result of those releases N. albiguttalis is now present in Nigeria. The larval instars found were damaging only water hyacinth with bulbous petioles. The larval developmental periods ranged between 10 and 15 days (n = 3).

Management of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an aquatic weed waste, by vermicomposting technology

Water hyacinth has become a menace in Sambhaji tank, Solapur city, Maharashtra, India. An attempt has been made to convert this water hyacinth into a nutrient rich vermicompost using the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae. The macronutrient and microbial analysis of vermicompost at various intervals of time has been studied and compared with decomposing water hyacinth. It was found that nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and moisture were increased while organic carbon, C/N ratio, EC and pH were decreased. Microbial study revealed an increase in total count when compared with decomposed water hyacinth. The study of macronutrients is first of its kind in the water hyacinth vermicompost. The present work is a viable alternative for managing solid waste and pollution.

Leachate Characterization and Phytoremediation Using Water Hyacinth (Eichorrnia crassipes) in Pulau Burung, Malaysia

ABSTRACT Leachate from Pulau Burung landfill site was analyzed and treated using phytoremediation technique while water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was used as the phytoremediator. Some parameters analyzed included ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), nitrate, nitrite, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), phosphate, and zinc. The range of values of nutrients such as the pH, ammonia nitrogen, TKN, phosphate and zinc during leachate characterization were 8.72 and 8.58, 1810 and 1070 mg/L, 1183 and 1120 mg/L, 46.4 and 31.2 mg/L, 11.1 and 5.4 mg/L, respectively. After phytoremediation, significant reduction was noticed in all the nutrients and zinc. Nitrite, phosphate and zinc values were between 91.9% and 98.2%, 4.4 to 0.6 mg/L and 1.1 and 0.1 mg/L, respectively. Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the planted and unplanted systems (p ≤ .05). It was established that Eichhornia crassipes had the capacity to remove nutrients and heavy metals from leachate, which requires treatment to minimize pollutants to an acceptable level before discharging into water courses.

Isolation and characterization of cellulose nanofibers from the aquatic weed water hyacinth—Eichhornia crassipes

The water hyacinth is one of the fast growing perennial aquatic weeds with a height of 1 m and doubles their population in 2 weeks and is rich in fiber content. The cellulose nanofibers from the water blocking aquatic weed – water hyacinth – were successfully prepared. The crude and pure cellulose microfibers were initially obtained from the weed plant using the chemical treatments such as bleaching and alkaline and sodium chlorite reactions. The micron-sized fibers obtained from the stems were cryocrushed with liquid nitrogen to release the bundles of nanofibers and followed the sonication for individualization of fibers. The treated fibers were screened through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the removal of impurities from the fibers. The surface morphology of the aqueous suspension before cryocrushing and after the sonication process was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Thermal stability of the fiber was increased after chemical treatment; this was confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The synthesized nanofibers were in a diameter range of 20–100 nm from the SEM and 25 nm from the TEM analysis. The extracted cellulose nanofibers from the noxious weeds were used for processing of biodegradable nanocomposites in drug delivery, ligament substitute, filtration, and water purification and also used as flexible optical display in electronics.

Risk factors associated with anthrax in cattle on smallholdings

SUMMARY Unprecedented high rates of anthrax outbreaks have been observed recently in cattle and humans in Bangladesh, with 607 human cases in 2010. By enrolling 15 case and 15 control cattle smallholdings in the spatial zone in July-September 2010, we conducted a case-control study, data of which were analysed by matched-pair analysis and multivariable conditional logistic regression. Feeding animals with uprooted and unwashed grass [odds ratio (OR) 41·2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3·7-458·8, P=0·003], and feeding water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (OR 22·2, 95% CI 1·2-418·7, P=0·039) were independent risk factors for anthrax in cattle.

Impact of interspecific competition by compatriot aquatic weeds on water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes (Martius) Solms growth and development in the Kagera River

The phenotype of a plant is strongly influenced by the presence of neighbouring plants often resulting into change in growth and development. We have demonstrated to our knowledge for the first time, the influence of three aquatic weed species (Commelina sp., Justicia sp. and Vossia cupsidata) on growth and development of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). We found that Commelina sp., Justicia sp. and V. cupsidata significantly (P < 0.001) suppressed water hyacinth total fresh weight when growing together both in the Kagera River and greenhouse. Justicia sp. gave the highest (51%) water hyacinth fresh weight reduction when compared to fresh weight in pure stand probably due to competition effect. In the Kagera River but not greenhouse, water hyacinth plants were significantly taller (F (4,1371) = 150.53, P < 0.001) in pure stands than when growing in mixtures. V. cupsidata strongly suppressed water hyacinth plant height although water hyacinth compensated by producing elevated number of ramets (daughter plants). In greenhouse environment, the number of ramets per plant was higher in mixtures than in pure water hyacinth treatment. Correlation analysis revealed a strong significant negative relationship between plant height and number of ramets. Competition for space and resources was suggested to be the major influential factor as water hyacinth in pure stands tended to have higher density and total biomass per unit area than when grown in mixtures. Analysis of water hyacinth ratios to other aquatic weeds showed a significant effect on water hyacinth growth and development in terms of fresh weight, plant height, leaves per plant and ramets. These data show that neighbouring aquatic weeds are important component in the regulation of water hyacinth growth and development in the aquatic ecosystem. Key words: Commelina sp., Justicia sp., Kagera River, water hyacinth.

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) in the Great Lakes: playing with fire?

The Laurentian Great Lakes have been successfully invaded by at least 182 nonindigenous species. Here we report on two new species, water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes and water lettuce Pistia stratiotes, that were found at a number of locations in Lake St. Clair and Detroit River during autumn 2010. Both species are commonly sold in the water garden and aquarium trade in southern Ontario and elsewhere. While it is not clear whether these species are established or can establish in the Great Lakes, the historic assumption that neither of these subtropical to tropical plants pose an invasion risk must be questioned in the light of changing environmental conditions associated with climate warming that may render Great Lakes’ habitats more suitable for these species and increase the likelihood of their successful establishment.

An integrated approach to a biophysiologically based classification of floating aquatic macrophytes

Globally, invasive species are identified as one of the most serious threats to ecological stability and biodiversity. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an aggressive invasive aquatic species, has caused severe economic and ecological impacts in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in California. In the Delta, water hyacinth co-occurs with native pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata L.) and non-native water primrose (Ludwigia spp.). All of the species express a wide range of phenotypic variability, making it difficult to map them with remote sensing techniques because their spectral response is highly variable. We present an integrated approach to mapping these floating species using a sequence of hyperspectral methods, such as spectral angle mapper (SAM), linear spectral unmixing (LSU), continuum removal and several indices in a decision tree format. The ensuing tree, based on biophysiological differences between the species, was robust and consistent across three separate years and over multiple flightlines each year, spread across an area of approximately 2500 km2. The most important inputs used to create the tree were reflectance in the short-wave infrared (SWIR), Red Edge Index, near-infrared (NIR) reflectance, LSU fractions and SAM rule values. The floating species were mapped with average accuracy of 88% for water hyacinth, 87% for pennywort and 71% for water primrose.