Enrichment of Ensilage Quality and Nutrients of Whole-Plant Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Based Silages

Aims: This study aimed at enriching the ensilaged quality and nutrient contents of whole-plant water hyacinths (WWH) based silages in different recipes. Study Design: Twelve recipes with three replications each were assigned in a completely random design. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Science and Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna, Lampang Campus, Thailand, between October 2018 and September 2019. Methodology: Treatments were twelve recipes including: T1= light wilted WWH+ 1.96% salt, T2 = light wilted WWH + 4.15% molasses + 8.27% rice bran, T3 = light wilted WWH + 6.63% molasses + 15.86% rice bran, T4 = light wilted WWH +8.91% molasses + 22.83% rice bran, T5 = moderate wilted WWH + 1.59% Salt, T6 = moderate WWH + 11.17% molasses + 13.33% rice bran, T7 = moderate wilted WWH + 10.75 % molasses + 25.67% rice bran, T8 = moderate wilted WWH + 10.36% molasses + 37.11% rice bran, T9 = extremely wilted WWH + 1.16% salt, T10 = extremely wilted WWH + 5.10% rice bran, T11 = extremely wilted WWH + 4.30% molasses, T12 = extremely wilted WWH + 4.30% molasses + 5.14% rice bran. Each recipe was mixed into triplicates of a 30 kg high-density polyethylene plastic bag under anaerobic condition for 30 days. Results: The results demonstrated that T6, T7, and T8 were quite superior in fermentation characteristics; T3, T4, T6, T7, and T8 were judged outstanding in physical assessment; T4, T6, T7, and T8 were more appropriate in terms of nutritive values. Conclusion: This work demonstrated that WWH can be upgraded into high-quality silage by wilting, chopping into pieces, adding rice bran and molasses, and ensilaged for about 30 days. The finding from this study indicated that T6, T7, and T8 were fit all aspects and recommended as recipes for producing high-quality WWH-based silage for ruminants.

METHYLENE BLUE REMOVAL THROUGH ADSORPTION OF WATER HYACINTH USING COBALT NANOPARTICLES SUPPORTED ON ACTIVE CARBON

In this research, active carbon-based catalyst synthesis and characterization were investigated for different applications in catalysis. The active carbon-based catalyst was combined with metal oxides to dye methylene blue (MB) removal. Water hyacinth is one of the major problems that facing society and especially in Egypt. One of the implications of industrial activities is environmental pollution. One of the major pollutants is dyes that are used in the production of textiles, paper, and clothes. The waste of those dyes discharged into water supplies without treatment, or ineffective treatment will harmfully impact the environment. In this research, the treatment is implemented using active carbon-based catalysts using embedded nanoparticles. That will lead to a huge increase in the surface area of the adsorbent to increase the adsorbent efficiency. The activated carbon was derived from water hyacinths that grow in the Nile River. Water hyacinth has many good uses as it can absorb heavy metals like lead and dyes. Water hyacinth was converted into activated carbon through carbonization. Different dyes were used with different contact times in fixed conditions.

A Small-Scale Study on Removal of Heavy Metals from Contaminated Water Using Water Hyacinth

The aim of this research was to determine whether water hyacinth can be used to remove heavy metals, such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, zinc, and copper, from industrial wastewater. Investigations of the pollution removal or prevention potential of aquatic macrophytes, such as heavy metal bio-indicators in aquatic habitats, can prove to be advanced field studies. Water hyacinth is one of the aquatic plant species that has been effectively utilized for the treatment of wastewater. It is extremely effective in removing stains, suspended solids, BOD, organic matter, and heavy metals. This research focused on the use of water hyacinth to treat wastewater from heavy metals. Water hyacinths can grow in sewage, absorbing and digesting contaminants and transforming sewage effluents into comparatively clean water in the process. As a result, the plants have the potential to be used as natural water purification systems at a fraction of the cost of a standard sewage treatment facility. The experiment was performed using healthy, young, and acclimatized water hyacinths. Containment water with a cadmium concentration of 0.5 mg/L, arsenic concentration of 0.5 mg/L, lead concentration of 2 mg/L, zinc concentration of 5 mg/L, and copper concentration of 5 mg/L was added to five different polyethylene pots with 100 g of water hyacinth in each pot. After 30 days, the removal efficiency for heavy metals (Cd, As, Pb, Zn, and Cu) reached 59–92%, and the results were within the permitted limits according to the National Technical Regulation on Industrial Wastewater in Vietnam. Based on this information, it is possible to deduce that water hyacinth can be utilized to remove cadmium, arsenic, lead, zinc, and copper from industrial wastewater effluents efficiently.

Valorization of Aquatic Weed and Agricultural Residues for Innovative Biopolymer Production and Their Biodegradation

In this work, water hyacinths, bagasse and rice straw were valorized to produce an innovative biopolymer. Serial steps of extraction, bleaching and conversion of cellulose to be carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as well as the last steps of blending and molding were performed. The CMC was mixed with tapioca starch solution by a ratio of 9:18, and a plastic sizer of glycerol was varied at 2%, 4% and 6% by volume. In addition, bioplastic sheets were further determined in their properties and biodegradation. The results revealed that bioplastics with 6% glycerol showed a high moisture content of 23% and water solubility was increased by about 47.94% over 24 h. The effect of temperature on bioplastic stability was found in the ranges of 146.28–169.25 °C. Furthermore, bioplastic sheets with 2% glycerol could maintain their shape. Moreover, for texture analysis, the highest elastic texture in the range of 33.74–38.68% with 6% glycerol was used. Moreover, bioplastics were then tested for their biodegradation by landfill method. Under natural conditions, they degraded at about 10.75% by weight over 24 h after burying in 10 cm soil depth. After 144 h, bioplastics were completely decomposed. Successfully, the application of water, weed and agricultural wastes as raw materials to produce innovative bioplastic showed maximum benefits for an environmentally friendly product, which could also be a guideline for an alternative to replace synthetic plastics derived from petroleum.

A Field Guide for Monitoring Riverine Macroplastic Entrapment in Water Hyacinths

River plastic pollution is an environmental challenge of growing concern. However, there are still many unknowns related to the principal drivers of river plastic transport. Floating aquatic vegetation, such as water hyacinths, have been found to aggregate and carry large amounts of plastic debris in tropical river systems. Monitoring the entrapment of plastics in hyacinths is therefore crucial to answer the relevant scientific and societal questions. Long-term monitoring efforts are yet to be designed and implemented at large scale and various field measuring techniques can be applied. Here, we present a field guide on available methods that can be upscaled in space and time, to characterize macroplastic entrapment within floating vegetation. Five measurement techniques commonly used in plastic and vegetation monitoring were applied to the Saigon river, Vietnam. These included physical sampling, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle imagery, bridge imagery, visual counting, and satellite imagery. We compare these techniques based on their suitability to derive metrics of interest, their relevancy at different spatiotemporal scales and their benefits and drawbacks. This field guide can be used by practitioners and researchers to design future monitoring campaigns and to assess the suitability of each method to investigate specific aspects of macroplastic and floating vegetation interactions.

Society's Entrepreneurship During The Pandemic Through The Water Hyacinth Handicraft in The Village of Walahar Klari Distric of West Java

This research was motivated by the problem of the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic which resulted in many people being unemployed and the large number of water hyacinth plants were only considered garbage in Walahar. This condition is seen as an opportunity and a challenge in exploiting the potential of the region. Efforts to overcome this are by opening job vacancies, making entrepreneurial training from raw materials for water hyacinth waste. The objectives of this study are to: a). Obtaining information about increasing community entrepreneurship during the Covid 19 pandemic through water hyacinth crafts. b). To find out what the supporting and inhibiting factors are. c). To find out the results of increasing community entrepreneurship during the Covid 19 pandemic through water hyacinth handicrafts (case study in Desa Walahar Kec. Klari Kab. Karawang Prov. Jawa Barat). To answer the formulation of research problems that have been formulated, the author uses a qualitative approach with the case study method. To explain the phenomena that appear in the field. The research sources are: a). Sources of information, namely the chairman and owner of water hyacinth handicrafts UKM Kab. Karawang "UKM Putri Eceng" namely Mrs. Sambinah; and the Head of the Dinas Koperasi & UMKM Kab. Karawang; who can provide data. b). Informant sources, namely three freelance or community employees who work in the UKM Putri Eceng Kab. Karawang. The results of this study indicate that using a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats as follows: (1) Strength: getting support from husbands, families, communities, the Government of Karawang Regency, Central Government, Consumers, getting capital and support from private companies, can read business opportunities in the market. (2) Weaknesses: Raw materials that will decrease over time, weather for drying water hyacinths, and initial capital to establish entrepreneurship. (3). Opportunities: improving the economy, selling handicrafts, utilizing abundant water hyacinth waste, generating income (money), introducing local tourism and culture, increasing creativity and innovation in entrepreneurship, creating job vacancies for the local community. (4) Threats: competitors of fellow entrepreneurs who process water hyacinth in the marketing world.

Plastic Plants: The Role of Water Hyacinths in Plastic Transport in Tropical Rivers

Recent studies suggest that water hyacinths can influence the transport of macroplastics in freshwater ecosystems at tropical latitudes. Forming large patches of several meters at the water surface, water hyacinths can entrain and aggregate large amounts of floating debris, including plastic items. Research on this topic is still novel and few studies have quantified the role of the water hyacinths in plastic transport. In this study, we present the findings of a six-week monitoring campaign, combining the use of visual observations and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle imagery in the Saigon river, Vietnam. For the first time, we provide observational evidence that the majority of macroplastic is transported by water hyacinth patches. Over the study period, these fast-growing and free-floating water plants transported 78% of the macroplastics observed. Additionally, we present insights on the spatial distribution of plastic and hyacinths across the river width, and the different characteristics of entrapped items compared with free-floating ones. With this study, we demonstrate the role of water hyacinths as a river plastic aggregator, which is crucial for improving the understanding of plastic transport, and optimizing future monitoring and collection strategies.