Valorization of Water Hyacinth After Organosolv Fractionation: Cellulose Fiber and Anaerobic Digestion

The water hyacinth comprises lignocellulosic biomass, which is usually considered an invasive plant that spreads and reproduces rapidly in bodies of water, affecting the functioning of the ecosystem by preventing the passage of light and becoming an environmental problem. However, because it is a plant rich in organic matter, it is an important material for the production of bioenergy but it does not compete with food security. In addition, this biomass can be exploited as a raw material to obtain products with high added value, such as cellulose fiber. The aim of this study was to investigate the organosolv fractionation required to separate various components and then evaluate the bioenergy potential and cellulose production from the water hyacinth component. Cellulosic fiber is characterized by spectroscopy techniques, to determine the morphology, degree of polymerization and crystallinity. For biogas production, anaerobic digestion was carried out in a 5 L Labfors batch-type biological reactor, with hydrolyzate hemicellulose and cow manure inoculum, controlling the operating variables (temperature, agitation and pH). Water hyacinth presents cellulose with fiber lengths of the order of 293-310 mu m, crystallinity of 62.54% and hydrolyzate biogas production of 230 mL/g SV.

Automated summary

The water hyacinth is an invasive plant that spreads rapidly in bodies of water, affecting the ecosystem. However, it can be utilized for bioenergy production and obtaining high-value products due to its rich organic matter content, without competing with food security.