The present study was undertaken for assessing the level of heavy metals such as copper, nickel and zinc in water, water hyacinth and soil samples of Rupahi beel, Nagaon, Assam. Metals were detected using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results revealed that by and large all the three metals are present in all the samples. The average concentration of Cu, Ni and Zn in both water ...

The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) may be used as a sensitive biological indicator for continuously monitoring trace quantities of toxic heavy metals in aquatic systems. A river water system polluted with cadmium was simulated while other factors of temperature, day-night cycle, water quality, and light intensity remained constant. When the water hyacinth is maintained in river water con...

The potential of water hyacinth ash for phenol adsorption from aqueous solution was studied. Batch kinetic and isotherm studies were carried out under varying experimental conditions of contact time, phenol concentration, adsorbent dosage and pH. The adsorption of phenol decreased with increasing pH. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models were used for the mathematical description of ads...

Organic waste posses a serious environmental problem globally. This can be solved by combination of effective technologies like Biodung composting and Vermitech (incorporating earthworms for the production of vermicompost). The present work was carried out during the year 2006-2007 at University of Guyana, Georgetown to recycle grass clippings, water hyacinth and cattle dung by using Eisenia fe...

The prevalence of malaria among the residents of the Lake Victoria basin remains high. The environment associated with the lake may maintain a high number of malaria vectors. Lake habitats including water hyacinths have been suspected to be the source of vectors. This study investigated whether malaria vectors breed in the lake habitats and adjacent backwater pools. Anopheline larvae were colle...

Evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to selfing occur commonly in heterostylous genera. The morphological polymorphisms that characterize heterostyly provide opportunities for different pathways for selfing to evolve. Here, we investigate the origins and pathways by which selfing has evolved in tristylous Eichhornia paniculata by providing new evidence based on morphology, DNA sequences an...

This study, conducted in Nyanza Gulf of Lake Victoria, assessed ecological succession and dynamic status of water hyacinth. Results show that water hyacinth is the genesis of macrophyte succession. On establishment, water hyacinth mats are first invaded by native emergent macrophytes, Ipomoea aquatica Forsk., and Enydra fluctuans Lour., during early stages of succession. This is followed by hip...

We compared the effect of herbivory by two congeneric specialist weevils (Neochetina eichhorniae and Neochetina bruchi) on competition between their host Eichhornia crassipes and another floating aquatic plant (Pistia stratiotes) by experimentally manipulating plant densities, presence of either or both herbivore species, and nutrient levels. Measurements of E. crassipes yield per original plan...

The objective of this study was to analyze the colonization of Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae during the decomposition of Eichhornia azurea (Swartz) Kunth (Commelinales: Pontederiaceae) leaves in a lake in southeastern Brazil in two seasons of the year. The experiment was conducted from September to November 2007 and February to April 2008. In each period, 21 litter bags were used, each containi...

−Three kinds of biochars (called poplar branch biochar (PBC), water hyacinth biochar (WHC), and corn straw biochar (CSC)) were prepared in a fixed-bed pyrolyzer at different pyrolysis temperature of 300-700 C. The effects of biochar species, pyrolysis temperature and biochar addition on adsorption characteristics of typical heavy metals (HMs) of Pb and Zn in vegetable soil (collected from lead-...