Title : Sustainable biodiesel production and high-value alginate extraction from invasive sargassum seaweeds: Unlocking economic opportunities from waste
Abstract:
The great influx of pelagic brown algae Sargassum along coastlines has created widespread environmental and economic challenges since 2011 on the coasts of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Brazilian east Coasts and West Africa in events known as golden tides. However, this abundant macroalgae holds the potential to alleviate these issues by providing valuable economic opportunities. This study focuses on the utilization of Sargassum biomass collected from Quintana Roo, Mexico, to produce biodiesel and a high-value alginate stream To unlock the potential of the biomass, a two-step process was employed. First, the biomass underwent pretreatment using Alginate Extraction Autohydrolysis (AEA), followed by enzymatic saccharification through fungal Solid-State Fermentation. This process successfully released 7 g/L of total sugars. The resulting sugar mixture was then subjected to fermentation using engineered Yarrowia lipolytica, resulting in total lipid titer of 0.35 g/L at the lab tube scale Moreover, this study demonstrates the extraction of a purified alginate stream from the Sargassum material, yielding 0.3875 g/g DW. This high-value alginate stream represents a significant achievement and further enhances the economic potential of Sargassum utilization The findings presented in this study are highly promising, highlighting the feasibility of establishing a biodiesel production biorefinery for efficient utilization of Sargassum seaweeds during periods of high invasion. These results serve as a solid foundation for further optimization and scaling up of the process, opening doors to sustainable solutions and economic relief in affected regions.
Audience Take Away
- The conference will provide attendees with insights into the critical role of effective waste management in the pursuit of sustainability goals
- The conference will offer attendees valuable insights into the process of converting waste to energy through the production of biofuels using the invasive seaweed Sargassum
- Attendees will gain insights into cutting-edge technologies and methodologies that enable the efficient extraction of alginate from Sargassum and posterior enzymatic saccharification of the algae to obtain fermentable sugars
- The presentation highlights the feasibility of establishing a biodiesel production biorefinery for efficient utilization of Sargassum seaweeds
- The presentation will also underline the importance of fostering collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to advance sustainable waste management strategies
