Evaluation of the biological activity of Eichhornia crassipes as a natural resource

Abstract

Keeping in mind to contribute to the well-being and development through the use of natural resources, the following document has been developed. The objective of the present study was determine the possible use of water hyacinth (E.crassipes) from the Guadiana river as a natural resource after its massive extraction from river basins in which it is considered an invasive plant. Laboratory experiments were carried out to quantify the biomass parameters, following official method, in E.crassipes to be used as animal feed, as well as its potential as component of growth medium for fungi. In addition, the amount of total polyphenol content and the total antioxidant capacity were determined after four different extraction methods. Eichhornia crassipes composition was characterized by low protein and ash values (8% and 1.31% respectively), and high values of NDF (59.97%) and ADF (26.61%). It was determined, that the most effective method for the extraction of total polyphenol content was boiling the biomass prior to filtration, and in the case of antioxidant activity, this parameter was the highest after ethanolic extraction of the dry biomass. Using dry E. crassipes biomass as a component of the growth medium for fungi under laboratory conditions resulted in a higher growth promotion when compared with commercial PDA.