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Abstract
Three ecotypes, based on size, of water hyacinth, Eichhorina crassipes (Mart.) Solms, a serious, persistent aquatic weed, were used to evaluate its possible utilization as sewage treatment plant and as a fuel precursor. Rates of removal of nitrogen and phosphorus for normal water hyacinths have been reported in the past to be 3.4 and 0.43 kg/ha/day, respectively. Metal content of the plant is reported for iron, copper, cobalt, potassium, magnesium and calcium and the metal distribution between pseudolamina, petioles, and roots has been shown to be negatively correlated with ‐log Ksp for the metal carbonate for small and medium‐sized plants but not correlated for the super‐hyacinths. The concentration of iron appears to be correlated with plant ecotype which occur in the environment at different dissolved oxygen concentrations. The use of the super‐hyacinth, as opposed to the normal‐sized plant, is discussed as a future fuel source by means of anaerobic digestion.