Studies on utilization of treated stack gas. I. Preliminary experiments

Abstract

Preliminary experiments indicate that waterhyacinths and a water‐fern (Azoila sp.) show enhanced growth in CO₂‐enriched atmospheres. Waterhyacinths were subjected to a range of nutrient conditions, and plants exposed to an enhanced CO₂‐atmosphere showed weight gains under all conditions; control plants lost weight at low and medium nutrient enrichments. Azolla, a plant that is sensitive to light intensity, was subjected to a range of light conditions. Plants exposed to ambient conditions lost weight under medium and high light intensity and gained weight under low light intensity conditions. In contrast, Azolla in CO₂‐enriched atmospheres had increasing weight gains under all light conditions studied.

Key words:

• Stack gas
• carbon dioxide
• “greenhouse effect”;
• Eichhornia crassipes
• waterhyacinth
• Azolla sp.

Notes

Present address: State of Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, 7601 Highway 301 North, Tampa, FL 33610.