NEW DELHI(PTI): Indian scientists have found a way to tum the nuisance weed, water hyacinth, in to a key chemical that could be used as a high grade aviation fuel oras.an additive to gasoline.
The technique, jointly devised by scientists at the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Nagpur University, relies on microbial production of the chemical butanediol from sundried water hyacinth. “The use of water hyacinth in an integrated water population control scheme with production of butanediol could change the status of this week from 4 prolific pest in to a potential provider,” the sci¢nusts said ins report.
Butanediol}] has a high octane number and could be used as an octane booster for gasoline or as a high grade aviation fuel, the scientists said in their report, published in the international research joumal’bioresource technology.”
Water hyacinth is a fast growing problem weed in many parts of the world including India. The weed grows wildly on the surface of ponds and lakes, accelerates water evaporation, increases MOs~ Quito breeding, and destroys rice fields.
In their laboratory scale experiments, the NeeriNagpur Univer sity team used “enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation” to pro= duce butanediol from water hyacinth, producing 15 g of butanediol! From 100 g of delignified water hyacinth.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 10, 1993
