Influence of Water Hyacinth () on Concentration and Distribution of in Water Surrounding an Informal Floating Community in Iquitos, Peru.

Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth () to remove from water. When river . concentrations were at or below ∼1,500 CFU 100 mL, water hyacinth reduced shallow concentrations (8 cm depth) down to levels deemed safe by U.S. EPA for recreational use. Above this threshold, plants were able to reduce . levels within shallow water, but not down to "safe" levels. At deeper depths (>25 cm), there was evidence that plants increased . concentrations. Water hyacinth removed . from shallow water by providing a surface (i.e., submerged roots) onto which . sorbed and by protecting organisms that can potentially consume . . Unfortunately, because of root association, the total . load within the water column was greater with water hyacinth present. The use of water hyacinth to keep surface water around floating communities low in . could be beneficial as this is the water layer with which people most likely interact. Aquatic vegetation naturally proliferates in and around Claverito. While this study was based on curating aquatic plants in order to achieve a water-quality outcome, it nonetheless supports concrete actions for Claverito residents under non-curated conditions, which are outlined at the end of the manuscript.