Water Hyacinth, A Remedial Measure to Combat Threats of Sewage Fed Ponds and Aquaculture

Abstract

The fundamental media of life - land, air and water are being threatened by pollution. Pollutants affect physical, chemical and biological factors of water causing water pollution. Sewage, composed of toxic substances, heavy metals and pathogenic organisms composed of toxic substances, heavy metals and pathogenic organisms contains about 99% of water and 1% of solids. Toxic heavy metals like zinc, copper, chromium, present in the domestic sewage are mostly absorbed and get accumulated in water hyacinth as free metals which may adversely affect the life as well as food chain. There is shortage of water throughout the world. Therefore, there is a need for recycling of waste water for aquaculture. In addition, the water hyacinth can be used as an energy source for biofuel production. Fishes are important aquatic animals and are particularly sensitive to toxicants. Hence the present study is focused on phytoremediation of sewage waste water and reuse it for aquaculture (Channa sp). The amount of heavy metals was estimated by Atomic Absorption Spectrometric (AAS) study in sewage fed ponds as well as within water hyacinth, grown on those sewage fed ponds with respect to control ones to prove the hyper accumulation activity of water hyacinth. Fishes belonging to Channa sp were also cultured in waste water to elucidate the changes in different target organs like blood, liver, kidney and muscles through biochemical studies at different intervals. The experimental results confirmed that the water hyacinth played a great role for purification of sewage fed ponds and make it favorable for aquaculture.