Extraction and molecular characterization of biological compounds from water hyacinth

Abstract

Eichhornia crassipes is an invasive aquatic plant whose individual morphological parts like roots and shoots were studied using different solvent extracts namely, benzene water and ethanol. All the solvent extracts of the root and shoot portions of the fresh Eichhornia crassipes were screened for the presence of various phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, phenols, sterols, terpenoids, anthraquinones, and anthocyanins. The isolation and purification of the major bioactive compounds such as tannins and flavonoids were done by thin layer chromatography using the extract purified from column chromatography. The results from the Gas Chromatography showed the retention of many important phenolic and sterol based compounds, denoting their richness of bioactive compounds useful for pharmaceutical industries as drugs and environmental sectors thereby protecting the aquatic micro ecosystem.