FIXED FILM NITRIFICATION USING WATER HYACINTHS.

One of the more frequent applications of aquatic treatment is the use of water hyacinths for nitrogen removal. In the literature, it has been suggested that plant uptake and subsequent harvesting is the principal nitrogen removal mechanism operative in water hyacinth systems. However, nitrogen removal rates greatly in excess of that obtainable through plant uptake have been observed. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the unique characteristics of water hyacinths as they pertain to nitrification and present experimental data on which the design of nitrifying water hyacinth systems may be based.