Water Hyacinth Research Articles

Evaluating the establishment of a new water hyacinth biological control agent in South Africa

Megamelus scutellaris Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) is the most recent of nine biological control agents developed to manage invasive water hyacinth, Pontederia (=Eichhornia) crassipes Mart. (Pontederiaceae), in South Africa. More than a million M. scutellaris have been mass-reared and released since the first introduction of the agent into South Africa in 2013, successfully establishing overwintering populations at 32 sites in seven of the nine provinces. Establishment has also been recorded at seven of these sites through natural dispersal from sites where they had established. Inundative releases, where large numbers of M. scutellaris are released regularly, have resulted in excellent establishment, and caused a significant reduction in water hyacinth cover in areas where, historically, biological control seemed unlikely due to excessive eutrophication. Although M. scutellaris has established well throughout South Africa through classical biological control methods, this study also showed that inundative releases of biological control agents over multiple seasons results in the most effective control of the weed, especially at cool temperate and eutrophic sites.

Coefficient Test of Antimicrobial Phenol Combination of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes Extract In Vitro as Alternative Disinfection Candidates

Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes are weeds that often pollute water areas. These two contain various active compounds that act as antimicrobials, which have the potential as disinfection agents to prevent the transmission of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. An antimicrobial substance is said to be effective as a good disinfectant if it has a phenol coefficient value equal to or more than the 5% phenol comparison substance. The aim of this research was to test the effectiveness of a combination of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes extracts as a disinfection candidate through the phenol coefficient test. This in vitro experimental study was carried out using a dilution technique. The combination treatment of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes extracts and 5% phenol was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and also Candida albicans yeast. Observations on the test media suspension tubes that were clear or did not show the growth of the test microbes for a period of 5, 10, and 15 minutes. The phenol coefficient value of the combination treatment of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes extracts was ≥1 with 5% phenol as comparison. Higher coefficient values were obtained for Staphylococcus aureus, equivalent values of 5% phenol were found for E.coli, P.aeruginosa, and C.albicans; whereas in S.typhi the value is <1. The combination treatment of E.crassipes and P.stratiotes extracts resulted in a phenol coefficient value equivalent to that of 5% phenol comparator, for several tested bacteria and yeasts. So it has effectiveness as a preparation for disinfection. The combination of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes extracts has antimicrobial effectiveness and can be developed as an alternative disinfection candidate.

Reduction of hydrocarbon pollutants by hyacinth plants ( Eichhornia crassipes).

Background: The application of phytoremediation by utilizing plants has been used to control oil pollution in waters. One of the plants that can act as a phytoremediator is the hyacinth because this plant can reduce various pollutants including petroleum hydrocarbons. This study aims to study the reduction ability of petroleum hydrocarbons at different concentrations including improving water quality. Methods: This study consisted of one treatment (petroleum hydrocarbon) consisting of five factors with three replicates. The treatments consisted of 10 ppm (E1), 30 ppm (E2), 50 ppm (E3), 70 ppm (E4), 90 ppm (E5), and (E0) without aquatic plants as controls. The treatments were observed daily and measured from the first day (D-1), the seventh day (D-7), and the 14 th day (D-14). The water quality in each treatment was also measured, such as water temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen. Results: The results showed that the hyacinth plant was able to reduce hydrocarbon in terms of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) by 79% while it was only between 17-27% naturally without the hyacinth. The reduction of TPH in the water was in line with the decrease of chlorophyll in the leaves of hyacinths, and it was followed by the increase of dissolved oxygen in the water media. Conclusions: In conclusion, hyacinths can reduce petroleum hydrocarbons and they can improve the water quality as well.

Green synthesis of AC/ZnO nanocomposites for adsorptive removal of organic dyes from aqueous solution

In the current study, a facile and green route for synthesis zinc oxide supported activated carbon nanocomposites (AC/ZnO) using Pontederia crassipes leaves has been conducted. The synthesized ZnO/AC nanocomposites have been obtained as adsorbents to remove Malachite Green (MG) and Congo Red (CR) dyes after characterization via XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, BET-BJH, TEM and Raman spectroscopy techniques. The influence of five parameters such as time, adsorbent dosage, solution pH, dye concentration and temperature has been optimized as batch experiments. The results showed that the ZnO/AC (10 %) nanocomposite showed the better removal efficiency of 98.87 % for CR and 99.23 % for MG with an estimated maximum adsorption capacity of 987.77 mg/g for CR and 74.36 mg/g for MG. The Freundlich, Halsey isotherms (R2 = 0.9969 for CR and 0.9842 for MG) and pseudo-second-order (R2 = 0.9996 for CR and = 0.9997 for MG) models were most appropriate in the description of the adsorption process. These findings confirmed that ZnO/AC fabricated via green approach is an efficient adsorbent for the removal of cationic and anionic dyes and could possibly be used for the treatment of other industrial textile effluents.

Green fabrication of cellulose-rich agricultural residues for scalable and biodegradable acoustic boards

Enormous amounts of agricultural residues in India are often burnt or dumped in nearby areas causing air, land, and water pollution. Towards fitting in a green life cycle, in this work, we demonstrate the fabrication of acoustic boards from cellulose-rich agriculture residues (rice straw, bagasse, banana stem, and water hyacinth) by a combination of mechanical and chemical pulping processes, and the addition of a foaming agent. Electron microscopy revealed that the fabricated acoustic boards had a porosity > 80%. The boards comprised microfibers of diameter 15 μm, which are finer than the conventional boards made from natural fibers. The addition of a foaming agent increased the absorption coefficients of agroboards of rice straw and water hyacinth by a maximum of 100%, and by 200% for the agroboards of bagasse and banana stem, respectively, in some spectral regimes. In contrast, the transmission loss either remained the same or decreased due to the addition of a foaming agent. In conclusion, this work provides a path to develop scalable green fabrication of agriculture residues to develop efficient biodegradable acoustic boards.

Dual phytoremediation and biochar production by Eichhornia crassipes in hydroponic system receiving different 1,4-dioxane dosages

This study focuses on applying phytoremediation as a low-effective and simple process to treat wastewater laden with 1,4 dioxane (DIOX). A floating macrophyte (Eichhornia crassipes) was cultivated under hydroponic conditions (relative humidity 50–67%, photoperiod cycle 18:6 h light/dark, and 28-33 °C) and subjected to different DIOX loads between 0.0 (control) and 11.5 mg/g fresh mass (FM). The aquatic plant achieved DIOX and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies of 76–96% and 67–94%, respectively, within 15 days. E. crassipes could tolerate elevated DIOX-associated stresses until a dose of 8.2 mg DIOX/g, which highly influenced the oxidative defense system. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and total phenolic compounds (TPC) increased by 7.3, 8.4, and 4.5-times, respectively, in response to operating the phytoremediation unit at a DIOX load of 11.5 mg/g. The associated succulent value, proteins, chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and pigments dropped by 39.6%, 45.8%, 51.5%, 80.8%, and 55.5%, respectively. The suggested removal mechanism of DIOX by E. crassipes could be uptake followed by phytovolatilization, whereas direct photodegradation from sunlight contributed to about 19.36% of the total DIOX removal efficiencies. Recycling the exhausted E. crassipes for biochar production was a cost-efficient strategy, making the payback period of the phytoremediation project equals to 6.96 yr.

Catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction of water hyacinth: An investigation into bio-oil generation and co-synthesis of Cu core-shell carbon hybrids

ABSTRACT The present study involved examining the hydrothermal liquefaction of Cu-impregnated water hyacinth for bio-oil production, and the co-synthesis of Cu Core-shell carbon hybrids. Effects of operating parameters such as temperature and Cu-impregnated biomass-to-water ratio on bio-oil and carbon hybrid yield were discussed. Results showed the highest total bio-oil yield of 34.82% was attained at 280°C with a biomass-to-water ratio of 1:9 at a residence time of 15 min. Carbon nanometal hybrids were characterized by TEM and FESEM to confirm the formation of Cu Core-Shell carbon hybrids and resulted in the average particle size of 351 nm, whereas XRD and XPS ensured the catalytic carbothermal transition of Cu2+ to Cu+/Cu particles. GC-MS and NMR analyzed the bio-oil samples and identified alcohols, alkanes, and esters in light oil. In contrast, carboxylic acids, ethers, esters, and phenols were key compounds in heavy oil.

Impact of land use and land cover change on land surface temperature over Lake Tana Basin

Isolation of climate and Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes and their compounded effect is complicated since the two influence each other through forcing-feedback cycles. This study investigates the changes in LULC and its contribution to the change in surface and air temperature in the Lake Tana Basin using data obtained from MODIS remote sensing satellites, ground observation and reanalysis model. Observation minus reanalysis (OMR) method and various analysis tools are used to estimate the impact of LULC changes on temperature. The analysis of LULC change indicates that an increase of Savanna and other type of forest cover by about 519 km2 from year 2001 to year 2020. Wetland increased by about 83.7 km2 during the said period. During the period 2001–2020, about 56.5% baren-land areas are being converted into wetland. The conversion of water bodies and baren land to wetland is likely due to the increase of water hyacinth on both the water body and nearby baren-land whereas the increase in Savanna is linked to an on-going eucalyptus tree plantation. The negative correlation between LST and NDVI (reaching a value of −0.60) is noticed over the Basin throughout the year on inter-annual time scale. An increase in vegetation cover such as Savanna and broad leaf forest coincides with the decreasing LST with an average rate of 0.08%/decade. Also, a reduction in temperature, derived from OMR, at an average cooling rate of about 0.87%/decade is observed in the study period. However, an increase in the LST change rate over built-up and grassland is about 0.03%/decade. Therefore, we conclude that the consistent associations of the increase in areal coverage of the some LULC types with lowest LSTs, 2m-temperature and temperature trend derived from NDVI-LST and LULC-LST associations as well as OMR temperature and LST are unambiguous signatures of the effect of LULC change on temperature over Lake Tana Basin, distinct from that arising due to climate change.

Biology of the epigeic earthworm, Eisenia fetida in different organic wastes

Aim: A study was undertaken to know the influence of different organic wastes on the biology of the epigeic earthworm, Eisenia fetida. Methodology: Epigeic earthworm, Eisenia fetida was selected and collected. Organic wastes (Corn stover, Delonix regia and Eichhornia crassipes) which are abundant and locally available were collected and used as feed materials along with cattle manure as control in this experiment. Results: The minimum incubation period and the maximum number of hatchlings per cocoon were observed in cattle manure (Control) as compared to other organic wastes. Percent cocoon hatching was 100% in all organic wastes, including control. The weight of freshly emerged juvenile was almost same in all organic wastes with no significant variations. The worm biomass was maximum in Eichhornia crassipes, whereas growth rate, attainment of sexual maturity and rate of cocoon production was maximum in cattle manure followed by other organic wastes. Interpretation: A successful vermitechnological process not only depends on the type of organic waste, but also depends on the biology of earthworm species. Based on the results, it can be concluded that epigeic earthworm, Eisenia fetida can be efficiently used in the vermitechnological process for organic waste management so as to maintain the balanced ecosystem. Key words: Eisenia fetida, Epigeic earthworm, Organic wastes, Vermicompost, Worm biology

Morphological and molecular characterisation of naturally occurring pathogenic fungi for Pontederia crassipes (water hyacinth) in South Africa

ABSTRACT The excessive proliferation of Pontederia crassipes poses serious threats to freshwater bodies in many parts of the world. This aquatic weed causes severe ecological and economic losses worldwide. In South Africa, research has focused on the release of insect biological control agents associated with P. crassipes, with eight insect agents, and only one fungus released to date. Fungi have been explored as a safe method for the management of P. crassipes, due to their ability to cause and spread a vast array of weed diseases. In this study, naturally occurring fungi associated with P. crassipes were surveyed, isolated, and identified using culture methods to determine their prevalence and pathogenicity to P. crassipes. Forty-two fungal isolates were morphologically identified as belonging to genera Alternaria, Fusarium, Epicoccum and Colletotrichum. Subsequently, molecular techniques and bioinformatics confirmed the identity of the fungi that were most pathogenic as Fusarium incarnatum, Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium equiseti. In whole plant bioassays, these fungi caused 68, 63 and 54% disease infection, respectively, by the end of six weeks, and thus may be considered for future developments into bioherbicides. Moreover, F. incarnatum exhibited 97% disease severity during in vitro assays. This study is also the first to report F. incarnatum occurrence on P. crassipes in South Africa.

Effect of floating plant growth rate on water quality performance of wetland in treating domestic sewage

A man-made system that mimics the function and structures of natural wetlands is called constructed wetlands. It is able to treat sewage water with low technology, low energy requirements, affordable and easy to maintain. However, how it works in tropical climates is still unknown and there is a need to figure out the sustainability of floating plants in treating domestic sewage. This study aims to investigate the pollutant removal efficiency of two selected floating plant species, water hyacinth and water lettuce, in treating domestic sewage. The growth rate of both plants will be examined for the best-recommended plants in the constructed wetland systems for domestic sewage treatment. The data was collected through a pilot-constructed wetland in the USM, Engineering Campus that is integrated with two species of floating plants: water hyacinth and water lettuce. The parameters studied were chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and ammoniacal nitrogen (AN). The findings reveal that the removal efficiency of water hyacinth is higher for COD and TSS at 40.96 % and 43.94 % respectively compared to Water Lettuce with 26.86 % for COD and 17.79 % for TSS. However, Water Lettuce has a slightly higher removal efficiency of NH3-N at 26.52 % compared to Water Hyacinth at 24.35 %. In terms of growth rate, Water Hyacinth is lost to water lettuce, but they have higher biomass to uptake nutrients with just a small increment of area coverage. Therefore, water hyacinth is favourable to implement in floating plant-constructed wetlands as it needs less maintenance than water lettuce to achieve discharge with standard A for TSS and COD and standard B for NH3-N based on Malaysia Wastewater Effluent Discharge Standards.

Relating Lake Circulation Patterns to Sediment, Nutrient, and Water Hyacinth Distribution in a Shallow Tropical Highland Lake

Excess sediment and nutrient losses from intensifying agriculture degrade water quality and boost plant growth. The relationship between circulation patterns, spatial water quality degradation, and water hyacinth infestation is not adequately studied. The objective of this study is, therefore, to investigate the effect of lake circulation patterns on sediment and nutrient distribution and its implication on the spread of water hyacinth in a tropical lake. This study was carried out in Lake Tana, the largest freshwater lake in Ethiopia, where sediment and nutrient concentrations are increasing, and water hyacinths have become a challenge since 2011. The lake circulation pattern was simulated by the Delft3D model based on a bathymetry survey, discharge, and meteorological forcings. To predict the transport path of sediments and dissolved nutrients, an inert tracer was released in the four main river inlets of the lake. Observed lake water level measurements were used to validate the model. Our results show that the lake circulation pattern could explain the transport path of sediment and nutrients and the location of the water hyacinths found in the northeast of the lake. Sediments and nutrients from the largest river, Gilgel Abay, in the southeast of Lake Tana, flow through the two outlets nearby with little sediment deposition due to the relatively short retention time. The phosphorus-rich sediments of the 24 h at 105 °C remaining three main rivers joining the lake at the north and east are transported to the northeast. Thus, the management and control of water hyacinths should focus on the northern and eastern catchment areas of Lake Tana.

Reducing Chemical Oxygen Demand and Turbidity Levels in Laundry Waste Using Activated Carbon from Water Hyacinth Leaves

Lignocellulose compounds contained in water hyacinth leaves (WHL) (Eichhornia crassipes) can be used as raw material for the manufacture of activated carbon at a low and renewable rate. The ACWHL can be used as adsorbent for reducing a COD value and turbidity levels on laundry waste. The purpose of this study is to determine the best adsorption modelling of ACWHL on COD values and turbidity levels in laundry waste in kinetics and isotherm studies and determine the effectiveness of reducing a COD value and turbidity levels. The process of making ACWHL is carried out by carbonization at 400 °C for 1 hour, then activated using 30% H3PO4 at an impregnation ratio of 1:4 (w/w) for 24 hours and physical activation at 600 °C for 1 hour. The results showed that the adsorption of ACWHL on COD value and turbidity levels of laundry waste followed Freundlich isotherm and Elovich isotherm modelling with R2 values of 0.9535 and 0.9905, respectively. The modelling for adsorption kinetics of COD values and turbidity levels in laundry waste follows the Pseudo Second Order kinetics modelling. The effectiveness of ACWHL reduction in adsorption of COD value and turbidity levels of laundry waste was 80.76% and 64.71%.

Application of Local Species for Sustainable Phytoremediation

Phytoremediation is green technology based on the application of plants to remediate contaminated media. This paper reviews five species of local plants used for phytoremediation in Thailand: Pteris vittata L., Pityrogramma calomelanos L., Chrysopogon zizanioides L., Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, and Pistia stratiotes L. For each plant, its pollutant removal efficiency and mechanism is reviewed. The main mechanisms of phytoremediation, such as phytoextraction, rhizofiltration, phytostabilization, phytodegradation, rhizodegradation, and phyto-volatilization, are concisely described. Screening local plants for phytoremediation is a cost-effective and easy to manage approach to derive suitable plants that are resistant to harmful environmental conditions. To be suitable, plants should have a fast growth rate, produce a large biomass yield, have a high tolerance to the toxic effects of the pollutants, and have a good capacity for pollutant uptake. Moreover, applying the proper species for each contaminant enhances the removal efficiency and supports sustainable phytoremediation.

The Effect of Compost Based on Water Hyacinth and NPK Fertilizer on the Growth of Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.)

Continuous fertilization with inorganic fertilizers causes the soil to become hard and the balance of nutrients in the soil becomes disrupted so that the soil is unable to provide sufficient nutrients to support normal plant growth. This study aims to determine the effect of compost made from water hyacinth, NPK fertilizer, and their combinations on the growth of cayenne pepper plants, and to determine the best dosage of fertilizer on the growth response of cayenne pepper plants. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) which consisted of 2 factors. Type of fertilizer and dose of fertilizer with each 4 levels of fertilization and 3 repetitions. The results of data analysis using the ANOVA test showed that the application of water hyacinth-based compost fertilizer; NPK fertilizer; and the combination can increase plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight on cayenne pepper plants. The DMRT test at the 5% level showed that the best treatment for plant height, wet weight and dry weight was a dose of 400 gr compost and 0 gr NPK, while the best treatment for leaf count was a dose of 200 gr compost and 0.4 gr NPK and the best treatment for Leaf area is a dose of 0 gr compost and 0.4 gr NPK.

First report of Colletotrichum fructicola causing anthracnose on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in China.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop and oil crop around the world. In August 2021, symptoms of leaf spot were found on nearly 50% of peanut plants in the peanut planting base of Xuzhou Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Jiangsu, China. Symptoms began as small, round or oval, dark brown spots on the leaf. As the spot expanded, the center of the spot became gray to light brown and the spot was covered with small black dots. Fifteen leaves with typical symptoms were randomly collected from fifteen plants in three fields about a kilometer apart from each other. Leaf pieces (5 × 5 mm) were cut from the junction part of diseased and healthy leaf tissue, sterilized with 75% ethanol for 30 s and 5% NaClO for 30 s, washed 3 times with sterile water, placed on full strength potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28°C in darkness. Five days after incubation, 12 isolates were obtained. Fungal colonies were white to gray on the upper surface and orange to gray on the reverse side. Conidia were single-celled, cylindrical and colorless after maturation, and were 12 - 16.5 × 4.5 - 5.5 μm (n = 50) in size. Ascospores were one-celled, hyaline, with tapering ends and one or two large guttulates at the center, and measured 9.4 - 21.5 × 4.3 - 6.4 μm (n = 50). Based on morphological characteristics, the fungi were preliminarily identified as Colletotrichum fructicola (Prihastuti et al. 2009; Rojas et al. 2010). Single spore isolates were cultured on PDA medium and two representative strains (Y18-3 and Y23-4) were selected for DNA extraction. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region, partial actin gene (ACT), partial calmodulin gene (CAL), partial chitin synthase gene (CHS), partial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH), and partial beta-tubulin 2 gene (TUB2) were amplified. The nucleotide sequences were submitted to Genbank (accession numbers of strain Y18-3: ITS: ON619598; ACT: ON638735; CAL: ON773430; CHS: ON773432; GAPDH: ON773436; TUB2: ON773434; accession numbers of strain Y23-4: ITS: ON620093; ACT: ON773438; CAL: ON773431; CHS: ON773433; GAPDH: ON773437; TUB2: ON773435). The phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA 7 based on the tandem of six genes (ITS-ACT-CAL-CHS-GAPDH-TUB2). The result showed that isolates Y18-3 and Y23-4 reside in the clade of C. fructicola species. To determine pathogenicity, conidial suspensions (107/mL) of isolate Y18-3 and Y23-4 were sprayed on ten 30-day-old healthy peanut seedlings per isolate. Five control plants were sprayed with sterile water. All plants were kept moist at 28°C in the dark (> 85% RH) for 48 h and then transferred to a moist chamber at 25°C with a 14-h photoperiod. After two weeks, typical anthracnose symptoms similar to those observed in the field appeared on leaves of inoculated plants, whereas controls remained asymptomatic. C. fructicola was re-isolated from symptomatic leaves but not from controls. Koch's postulates verified that C. fructicola was the pathogen of peanut anthracnose. C. fructicola is a well-known fungus causing anthracnose on many plant species worldwide. In recent years, new plant species infected by C. fructicola have been reported, like cherry, water hyacinth and Phoebe sheareri (Tang et al. 2021; Huang et al. 2021; Huang et al. 2022). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. fructicola causing peanut anthracnose in China. Thus, it is recommended to pay close attention and take necessary prevention and control measures against potential spread of peanut anthracnose in China. .

Influence of alumina nanoparticles additives into biofuel (water hyacinth)‐diesel mixture on diesel engine performance and emissions

AbstractThe using diesel and biodiesel blends as a fuel has been a recent field of study especially with nanoparticles additives. The addition of alumina nanoparticles to biodiesel was verified to reduce emissions, while engine performance was not given great attention to evaluate the effect of blending alumina nanoparticles with the diesel and biodiesel mixture on the performance characteristics of the diesel engine. Then performance and emission tests were carried out by using different fuel samples in a single cylinder diesel engine. The brake thermal efficiency for the alumina nanoparticles (50 ppm, 100 ppm) and biodiesel blends were lower than that of biofuel (D80B20) blends, it was decreased by 2.5 %, 6.05 % respectively as compared to the blend (D80B20). The rate of carbon monoxide emissions for the two biodiesel and alumina blends were lower than that of the biodiesel blend (D80B20) and the best reduction was for the blend (D80B20N50) and was 76.3 % as compared with the biodiesel blend (D80B20). Also, the nitrogen oxides emissions for all the blends with nanoparticles were lower than that of the blend D80B20 due to shortened ignition delay and less fuel was added during the combustion which lead to reduction in nitrogen oxides emissions.

Utilization of Biogas in Generators to Generate Electricity

Agricultural and livestock biomass waste is a potential source of basic materials in producing biogas because the organic content it has is quite high so it needs to be used in generators as engine fuel mixtures. The purpose of the research is to get the best treatment by looking at the time the generator operates and the highest electrical power produced. This research was conducted using an experimental method with 3 treatments with 3 replications, namely using a mixture of cow dung with rice straw (P1), cow dung with corn cobs (P2), and cow dung with water hyacinth (P3), and the use of biogas and LPG as generator fuel with biogas levels of 5, 10, and 15% and LPG 95, 90, and 85%. The results showed that the best biogas yield was obtained from a mixture of cow dung and rice straw (P1) with a level of 5%. Biogas with a level of 5% can turn on the generator for longer. The generator can operate for 10.10 minutes by producing 946 watts of electrical power.

Comparison of biogas production from various blends of biomass

Because of its high organic content, biomass waste from agriculture and animals can serve as a source of raw materials for the production of biogas. The goal of this study is to determine the ideal volume and rate of biogas generation as well as the digester temperature, and material pH. This research was conducted by experimental method with 3 treatments and 3 replications, namely a mixture of cow dung with rice straw (P1), corn cobs (P2), and water hyacinth (P3). The results showed that the best biogas yield was obtained from a mixture of cow dung and rice straw (P1) with the highest initial and final temperature values of 29.8 0C and 27.3 0C, and the highest initial and final pH of 6.8 and 7.0. The highest biogas volume was 66.03 L and the highest gas production rate was 7.45 L/day.

The Decline of Lake Victoria Ferry Services in Kenya, 1961-2012

Purpose: This study examined the operations of Lake Victoria Ferry Services since the independence of the East African countries in 1961 when the management was under the East Africa Railways and Harbors (EARH) and later the Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC). At the beginning of the 20th century the British colonial government established Lake Victoria transport as an extension of railway line in the lake region in Kenya and into Uganda. Despite some challenges, lake transport demonstrated progress in its services and expansion during the colonial period. However, when the management was transferred to the independent governments of East Africa, the operations of ferries were affected by the inefficiencies which marked the beginning of its decline. This study was guided by Politics of the Belly Theory of Bayart who associates underdevelopment of Africa long after independence with corrupt practices of African leaders. The theory shows that postcolonial African leaders have personalized the state for their own and their ethnic community’s gain thereby neglecting the regions which are perceived to be opposing the ruling regime.
 Methodology: A Historical Research Design was used to conduct this study. Non probability sampling methods and procedures were used to identify informants during the collection of primary data. Other primary data were gathered from Kenya National Archives and Railways Museum in Nairobi. Secondary data was collected from relevant publications and other materials.
 Findings: The data obtained were analyzed using content and thematic analysis techniques. This study established that transition in management from colonial to independent East African governments, competition from road transport and disintegration of East African Community led to the decline of maritime transportation on Lake Victoria. In order to revive ferry services on the Lake, major rehabilitations on the existing ports must be done and modern ports built. In the same vein new transport vessels should be acquired. Finally, a permanent solution to the threat of water hyacinth must be pursued and regular dredging of navigational channels done regularly.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study suggests that, the government should promote integrated transport planning as well as developing proper regulations guiding Lake Victoria transport.