671
valuable products. Biorefineries are classified as agricultural, cereal, oil seeds, lignocellulosic, green, forestry and industrial- and municipal-based biorefineries,
according to their ability to provide a variety of products such as fuel, energy, chemicals, materials, etc. [2, 6]. For obtaining such products, conversion processes such
as biological conversion (anaerobic digestion, fermentation, enzymatic operation,
aerobic digestion/composting, etc.), thermochemical conversion (liquefaction,
pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, etc.), chemical conversion (hydrolysis, solvent
extraction, supercritical conversion, transesterification, refuse derived fuel, etc.),
and physical conversion (mechanical extraction, briquetting of biomass, distillation,
etc.) are employed either alone or in combination [7, 8].
Along with sustainable waste management, waste biorefineries focus on significant economic and environmental benefits. Economic advantages include extraction
of various forms of energy and useful products from raw material having no cost
and elimination of requirement of landfill, thereby no requirement of land and no
expenditure on landfill and new avenues for business development. Environmental
benefits are reduced greenhouse gas release compared to prevailing treatment methods and conservation of natural resources like land, soil and ground water and fossil
fuel [2].
Water hyacinth is among the category of the most proliferative macrophytes and
has an adverse impact on aquatic environment. However, if utilized sensibly water
hyacinth can become an important resource for biorefinery. Utilization of water
hyacinth has been explored for phytoremediation, ethanol production, sorption of
dyes and heavy metals, reinforcement for composites, supercapacitor electrode,
generation of fuel, controlled drug release, preparation of biomanure, etc. [9].
Sindhu et al. [10] have pointed out the generation of valuable products such as
enzyme, organic acids, fuel, biopolymer, carbon fibre, composites, biofertilizers,
fish/animal feed, xylitol, vermicompost, supercapacitor electrode, etc. from this
aquatic plant. Sharma et al. [11] focussed on the origin of water hyacinth, its distribution, ecology, biology and control measure along with its applications.
Phytochemicals present in water hyacinth, threats posed by this plant and its control
measures have been reported by Patel [12] along with its applications. The review
on energy by Rezania et al. [13] has covered the utilization of water hyacinth as a
co-fuel, briquette biomass, phytoremediation, composting and fertilizer, animal
feed, furniture, etc. Malik [14] has given details on reproduction of this plant, its
environmental implications and how to mitigate this issue. It also includes the application of water hyacinth as phytoremediation agent, power alcohol production, biogas production, compost, fish and animal feed. However, details regarding operating
parameters for a specific process/application and its outcome were not given due
importance. Further, cause-and-effect diagram can become instrumental in understanding the real scenario for a given application.
This chapter attempts to provide comprehensive representation of the work done
till date which will help the readers to explore water hyacinth for a varied spectrum
of applications. It includes the distribution of water hyacinth and its control measures in brief. Applications of water hyacinth for various products have been
described in detail along with cause-and-effect diagram, also known as fishbone
diagram or Ishikawa diagram.
Waste Valorization of Water Hyacinth Using Biorefinery Approach: A Sustainable Route
valuable products. Biorefineries are classified as agricultural, cereal, oil seeds, lignocellulosic, green, forestry and industrial- and municipal-based biorefineries,
according to their ability to provide a variety of products such as fuel, energy, chemicals, materials, etc. [2, 6]. For obtaining such products, conversion processes such
as biological conversion (anaerobic digestion, fermentation, enzymatic operation,
aerobic digestion/composting, etc.), thermochemical conversion (liquefaction,
pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, etc.), chemical conversion (hydrolysis, solvent
extraction, supercritical conversion, transesterification, refuse derived fuel, etc.),
and physical conversion (mechanical extraction, briquetting of biomass, distillation,
etc.) are employed either alone or in combination [7, 8].
Along with sustainable waste management, waste biorefineries focus on significant economic and environmental benefits. Economic advantages include extraction
of various forms of energy and useful products from raw material having no cost
and elimination of requirement of landfill, thereby no requirement of land and no
expenditure on landfill and new avenues for business development. Environmental
benefits are reduced greenhouse gas release compared to prevailing treatment methods and conservation of natural resources like land, soil and ground water and fossil
fuel [2].
Water hyacinth is among the category of the most proliferative macrophytes and
has an adverse impact on aquatic environment. However, if utilized sensibly water
hyacinth can become an important resource for biorefinery. Utilization of water
hyacinth has been explored for phytoremediation, ethanol production, sorption of
dyes and heavy metals, reinforcement for composites, supercapacitor electrode,
generation of fuel, controlled drug release, preparation of biomanure, etc. [9].
Sindhu et al. [10] have pointed out the generation of valuable products such as
enzyme, organic acids, fuel, biopolymer, carbon fibre, composites, biofertilizers,
fish/animal feed, xylitol, vermicompost, supercapacitor electrode, etc. from this
aquatic plant. Sharma et al. [11] focussed on the origin of water hyacinth, its distribution, ecology, biology and control measure along with its applications.
Phytochemicals present in water hyacinth, threats posed by this plant and its control
measures have been reported by Patel [12] along with its applications. The review
on energy by Rezania et al. [13] has covered the utilization of water hyacinth as a
co-fuel, briquette biomass, phytoremediation, composting and fertilizer, animal
feed, furniture, etc. Malik [14] has given details on reproduction of this plant, its
environmental implications and how to mitigate this issue. It also includes the application of water hyacinth as phytoremediation agent, power alcohol production, biogas production, compost, fish and animal feed. However, details regarding operating
parameters for a specific process/application and its outcome were not given due
importance. Further, cause-and-effect diagram can become instrumental in understanding the real scenario for a given application.
This chapter attempts to provide comprehensive representation of the work done
till date which will help the readers to explore water hyacinth for a varied spectrum
of applications. It includes the distribution of water hyacinth and its control measures in brief. Applications of water hyacinth for various products have been
described in detail along with cause-and-effect diagram, also known as fishbone
diagram or Ishikawa diagram.
Waste Valorization of Water Hyacinth Using Biorefinery Approach: A Sustainable Route