Anaerobic Digestion of Water Hyacinth for Sustainable Biogas

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), an invasive aquatic weed, poses serious environmental and ecological challenges due to its rapid growth and clogging of water bodies. This study investigates the potential of utilizing water hyacinth as a sustainable feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion. The collected biomass was mechanically pre- processed, size-reduced, and mixed with cow dung as an inoculum to enhance microbial activity. The substrate was digested under controlled mesophilic conditions in a laboratory-scale anaerobic digester. Key parameters such as pH, temperature, total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), retention time, and gas yield were monitored throughout the digestion period. The results indicated that water hyacinth has a significant biogas generation potential due to its high cellulose and hemicellulose content. The produced biogas, rich in methane, was tested for its suitability as a cooking fuel. Overall, the study demonstrates that anaerobic digestion of water hyacinth not only provides a renewable source of clean energy but also offers an effective method for managing aquatic weed infestation. This approach contributes to environmental sustainability, waste utilization, and rural energy solutions.