Addressing the Sargasso Seaweed Crisis in the Caribbean
With an estimated 40 million tons of sargasso seaweed threatening Caribbean coastlines, Mexican scientists are advancing a biorrefinery process to convert this environmental nuisance into high-value bioproducts, renewable energy, and sustainable materials.
The Sargasso Seaweed Problem and Its Impact
Sargasso seaweed, an environmental pest affecting Caribbean tourism, has become a significant issue. The Mexican government and scientific community are collaborating to transform this problem into an opportunity by developing a biorrefinery model.
The Biorrefinery Project: A Collaborative Effort
A national scientific consortium, funded by public money and equipped with semi-industrial processing capabilities, is working on this biorrefinery model. The project aims to address two economic limitations of sargasso seaweed utilization: high metal content and complex structure, which increases transformation costs.
Extracting High-Value Products
Karla Azcorra, a researcher at the Center for Scientific Research Yucatan (CICY), explains, “Our focus is on sargasso value addition and maximizing the number of products under a biorrefinery approach.”
- Alginate Extraction: In the first stage, alginate, a polymer with established markets in food and pharmaceutical industries, is extracted. From one kilogram of sargasso, half a kilogram of this byproduct can be generated.
- Biofuel Production: The alginate byproduct is then used to produce biogas, which can generate electricity. The anaerobic digestion subproduct, a nutrient-rich sludge, is commercialized as a soil enhancer or biofertilizer, closing the loop without waste.
Developing Biomaterials
Parallel to bioproduct development, the team is working on biomaterials with the potential to replace imports or conventional raw materials. They are developing thin sheets composed of 40% sargasso and 60% recycled plastic, with possible applications in construction or packaging sectors.
Economic Viability and Logistical Challenges
The project’s economic viability hinges on overcoming logistical challenges due to the seasonality of the raw material. During massive arrivals, up to 60,000 tons of sargasso can accumulate in a single day. While there is ample raw material, organizing year-round storage and consistent utilization requires investments in storage and handling facilities.
Technological Scaling and Funding
The CICY already has semi-industrial machinery capable of processing 500 kg of sargasso daily. Recently, they secured nearly 5 million pesos from the Mexico City, Querétaro, Yucatan, and Chihuahua states’ scientific, humanities, technology, and innovation secretariat to scale their process.
A National Initiative
This effort is part of a broader initiative involving over 15 institutions across various Mexican states, with economic interests distributed nationally.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the sargasso seaweed problem? Sargasso seaweed accumulates in the Caribbean, threatening coastlines and impacting tourism. Mexican scientists aim to transform this environmental nuisance into valuable bioproducts and renewable energy.
- How does the biorrefinery project work? The project extracts alginate from sargasso, which is then used to produce biogas for electricity generation. The byproduct, a nutrient-rich sludge, is commercialized as a soil enhancer or biofertilizer.
- What are the project’s challenges? The project faces logistical challenges due to sargasso seasonality. Year-round storage and consistent utilization require investments in storage and handling facilities.
- How is the project funded? The project receives funding from the Mexican scientific, humanities, technology, and innovation secretariat, with support from over 15 institutions across various states.
