MARVIN MANDEL, Governor

2719

The scientific objective of the study is to
determine the extent of the plant's ability to absorb and
concentrate toxic metals and metabolize various other
chemical pollutants. These include phenols, creosols,
insecticides, nitrates, phosphates and other related
substances from polluted waters in populated regions.
Cadmium, mercury, nickel, lead, silver and other metals
are rapidly absorbed and removed from waters polluted
with these elements. All such heavy metals are
considered toxic to man when present in drinking water in
trace quantities. Cadmium and nickel are known to cause
cancer in experimental animals and other heavy metals are
suspect.

The studies conducted in laboratories at NSTL have
shown such promising results that NASA has installed a
specialized system using water hyacinths as a final
filtration system to remove chemical pollutants from
laboratory and industrial chemical wastes from the
Mississippi facility. A joint study involving NASA,
Mississippi state officials, and the city of Bay St.
Louis centers on the use of water hyacinths as a final
filtration system for removing nitrates, phosphates and
other chemical pollutants from the city's sewage lagoon.

The two methods under study in the NASA experiments
are based on the production, continual harvesting and
processing of large quantities of material produced from
repeated plantings in chemically polluted waters. The
first, called anaerobic fermentation, converts the
shredded water hyacinths into bio—gas, which is similar
to natural gas. Its potential annual yield is expected
to be about 28,500 cubic meters (more than one million
cubic feet) of gas per acre of plants. The second,
called the pyrolytic decomposition process, produces a
mixed hydrocarbon fuel similar to bio—gas.

Plants grown in domestic sewage effluent, free of
metals in toxic levels also will be evaluated as an
animal food source. Solid and liquid residues from the
two processes also will yield large quantities of high
grade fertilizer containing phosphorus, nitrogen,
potassium, magnesium and other desirable trace elements.

Experimentation with aquatic plants such as
cattails, bullrush, white mustard, water lily and water
hyacinth are being conducted in temperate zones in the
United States, Holland and Germany; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
the Maryland Environmental Service study the feasibility
of implementing certain programs for the treatment of
sewage effluent by aquatic plants and formulate a
proposal for the implementation of a pilot project in
this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Maryland Environmental Service
report its findings to the Legislative Policy Committee