An academician in Kerala has brought the water hyacinth under scrutiny not only for the damage it does to waterbodies, but also for what can be done with it, after it has been removed.
Dr. G. Nagendra Prabhu, Associate Professor, Department of Zoology and Principal Investigator, Centre for Research on Aquatic Resources, S. D. College, University of Kerala, Alappuzha, leads a group studying the water hyacinth, and one of their findings is that there are many uses that the invasive plant can be put to.
“All parts of the plant can be used in one way or the other --- just like the coconut palm. It is possible to use the plant as a raw material for the production of industrial enzyme like cellulase, bioethanol, bedding material for mushroom cultivation, vermi-composting, biogas, feed for fish, ducks and pigs, as pulping material for paper and a variety of pulp-based products such as base for handicrafts, disposable plate, coasters, painting canvases and pigments from their flowers,” says Nagendra Prabhu.
He points out further that water hyacinth can also be used to produce biomass briquettes, as an alternative to firewood. These briquettes can be used as cooking fuel.
Sitting pretty
In certain parts of the world, which include Thailand, where water hyacinth is used to make furniture. In fact, right here in Chennai, a furniture maker has been using it as material in the making of cane furniture. Sometime ago, we reported in these pages on how Ram Narendran, who runs Cane ‘O’ Cane on East Coast Road, has been sourcing water hyacinth from local ponds in Neelankarai since 2010 and using them in furniture-making.
After drying and basic processing, the hyacinth is woven around a wooden or bamboo frame, thereby giving it extra strength.
