The Floating Aquatic Water Hyacinth (Eichhorniacrassipes) is a Multi-uses Macrophyte for Fuel Ethanol Production and Pathogen Control

Water hyacinth is among the potential solutions to reduce the problems of climate changes and shortage of oil. It is a lignocellulosic biomass that can be utilized for reducing sugar production and thus further for bioethanol production. Physico/chemical properties were evaluated to create a full overview on the water hyacinth structure. Box BehnKen Design was used to evaluate the treatment conditions (NaOHconcentration, reaction time and temperature). Production of bioethanol and antimicrobial potential were examined. The chemical profile of the macrophyte showed the respective percentages of 19.9 % cellulose and 22.2 % hemicellulose. The nutritive potential indicated the presence of Ca, Mg, K, and P as 14.9, 4.6, 11.3 and 5.2 %, respectively. The combined interaction between pretreatment and enzyme mixture (celluclast 1.5 L and novozyme 188), afford the most promising glucose production of 184.0 mg g -1 DM. The highest bioethanol yield of 4.1 g l -1 was produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiaeThermosacc and 0.10 M NaOH at 111°C for 120 min. The antimicrobial potential of ethanol and chloroform extracts of the WHB indicated that Staphylococcus aureusATCC 25923 was the most susceptible with inhibition zone diameters (IZD) of 11.8-21.5 mm. The fungal candidates Macrophominaphaseoliand Rhizocotoniasolani, severely injured as well due to the weed extracts, respective IZDs f 16.0 and 9.5 mm were measured.