Utilization of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for bioethanol production: A comprehensive approach from hydrolysis to purification

Abstract

Water hyacinth (WH) is a widely available invasive aquatic plant, making it a promising resource for sustainable bioethanol production. In the present study, WH has been utilized for bioethanol production through a sequential process involving purification, ultrasonic-assisted hydrolysis, fermentation, and final purification. Hydrolysis is carried out employing 1N NaOH, succeeded by fermentation through the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae, culminating in the synthesis of bioethanol. The produced bioethanol is subsequently recovered following purification step. The presence of ethanol in the sample is confirmed by gas chromatography analysis, which is validated by comparison with a standard ethanol reference. The ceric ammonium nitrate test has further verified the presence of alcoholic groups in the prepared bioethanol. Additionally, the dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) test has revealed a free sugar content of 18% post-hydrolysis. The bioethanol yield is determined to be 9.36%, which aligns with values reported in existing literature for WH-based bioethanol production.