Review of R and D on Water Hyacinth Utilization in the Philippine Republic

The operations of a Filipino inventor were observed with a view toward determining the technical-economic potential of his hyacinth utilization concepts if the highly fibrous portion of the plant were separated from the other components. Subjects of particular interest include: (1) water hyacinth harvesting techniques, volumes and costs; (2) hyacinth defibering processes; and (3) uses of hyacinth materials for production of animal feeds, paper fibers, particle boards, acoustic and insulation boards, various vitamins and minerals (especially Vitamin A), food products, pesticides, and medicinal and pharmaceutical products.