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Tag: seaweed

Invasive Species Refined: Bioplastics from Water Hyacinth

Posted on by dishanth
Invasive Species Refined: Bioplastics from Water Hyacinth

In a pioneering breakthrough, researchers have unveiled an innovative technique to make bioplastics from water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) to solve pollution and plastic waste. Leveraging the notorious water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic weed causing havoc in waterways, the scientists have demonstrated a circular approach to tackle environmental challenges.

Revolutionizing Bioremediation and Value-Added Products

Water hyacinth is endemic to South America and was introduced to North America and the rest of the world as an ornamental plant. However, once in the environment, they are infamous for choking waterways, causing damage to ecosystems, and causing over $100 million in annual control costs in the U.S. alone. However, the research team at the University of California, Riverside, led by Dr. Zhiwei Hu, discovered a way to harness the potential of this invasive plant for environmental redemption. Their technique involves using water hyacinth to absorb and break down pollutants from wastewater, addressing excessive nutrient pollution, and then converting the biomass into valuable bioplastics and fertilizer.

“We aimed to tackle two environmental problems — excessive nutrient pollution and plastic waste — with one circular solution,” explained Dr. Hu. “And we discovered the resulting bioplastics from water hyacinth perform on par with standard petrochemical plastics in terms of flexibility, durability, and strength.”

This groundbreaking approach provides a sustainable solution to the environmental issues associated with water hyacinths and offers a valuable resource for manufacturing bioplastics from water hyacinths. The researchers are investigating ways to enhance the experimental bioplastics to enable full industrial substitution for materials like polyurethane in consumer goods.

Turning a Troublesome Weed into a Resource

Fueled by excessive nitrogen and phosphorous levels in surface waters, water hyacinth outbreaks have been wreaking havoc on freshwater habitats. Creating bioplastics from water hyacinths and other valuable products could jumpstart more resilient regional bio-manufacturing ecosystems.

“The collaboration between wastewater treatment plants and our water hyacinth bioremediation technique combined with material generation is under exploration,” noted Dr. Hu. “Scaling this will help relieve stress on conventional plastic supply chains while supporting greener, carbon-conscious manufacturing.”

Towards a Greener Future: Scaling and Collaboration

The potential for scaling bioplastics from water hyacinths holds promise for addressing the challenges posed by water hyacinths and contributing to sustainable manufacturing practices. Water hyacinth is an invasive aquatic plant that can cause substantial ecological and economic damage by outcompeting native species, reducing biodiversity, and impeding water flow.

However, researchers have discovered that the fibrous tissues and polymers within water hyacinth can be extracted and used as feedstock for biodegradable plastics. By repurposing these invasive plants into valuable bioplastics, an immense potential exists for transforming an environmental burden into economic opportunity.

The research showcases the environmental benefits and highlights the economic potential of repurposing invasive plants. Scaling up bioplastic production from water hyacinth could provide a renewable, compostable alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics.

Water hyacinth is an ideal candidate for sustainable bioplastic feedstock as an abundant and fast-growing invasive species requiring no additional land, water, or nutrient resources. If successful, this approach could present an economically viable alternative to conventional plastic production, supporting ecological resilience through invasive plant control and closed-loop manufacturing powered by renewable plant biomass.

Additionally, the bioplastics from water hyacinths offer promising mechanical properties comparable to polyethylene and polypropylene. The research indicates that water hyacinth bioplastics could replace conventional plastics in various applications. By incentivizing large-scale harvesting of invasive plants, bioplastic production can mitigate ecological damage while meeting material demands.

Unlikely Collaborations: A Key to Sustainable Solutions

The collaboration between scientists and troublesome flora exemplifies the potential for finding solutions where they are least expected. By tapping into the disruptive tendencies of invasive plants, the research opens up new possibilities for environmental redemption and industrial symbiosis.

As the world grapples with pollution and plastic waste, bioplastics from water hyacinths offer hope. It showcases the transformative power of unlikely collaborations and the ability to turn environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and positive change. The researchers believe that such groundbreaking initiatives could pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future in both environmental conservation and manufacturing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source   Happy Eco News 

 

Indigenous Seaweed Farming: Kwiakah First Nation

Posted on by dishanth
Indigenous Seaweed Farming: Kwiakah First Nation

Indigenous Seaweed Farming

There are several reasons why the Kwiakah are taking this approach. First, they want to ensure that kelp forests are available for future generations. Second, they want to protect the marine environment. Third, they want to create a sustainable economic future for their community.

The Kwiakah’s approach to indigenous seaweed farming is based on their traditional knowledge and values. The band has a long history of living off the land and sea. They know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are committed to creating a sustainable future for their community.

Kelp cultivation has a number of environmental benefits. Kelp forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to mitigate climate change. Kelp also provides a habitat for a variety of marine life. In addition, kelp can be used to produce various products, including food, fertilizer, and biofuel.

Kelp forests are facing a number of challenges, including climate change, pollution, and overfishing. Climate change is causing the ocean to become warmer and more acidic, which is making it difficult for kelp to grow. Pollution from runoff from farms and cities is also harming kelp forests. Overfishing is another major threat to kelp forests.

But despite these challenges, growing and harvesting kelp is worth the struggle for the economic benefits it provides.

 

Jobs and Economic Opportunities

The Kwiakah are using their unique approach to indigenous seaweed farming to create a sustainable future for their community. The band is repurposing an old fish farm into a kelp farm. The farm will be used to grow kelp for food, fertilizer, and biofuel. The Kwiakah are also working to educate the public about the importance of kelp forests and the need to conserve them.

Kelp cultivation creates jobs and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. Indigenous seaweed farming is a relatively new industry, but it is growing rapidly. As the demand for kelp products increases, more people will be needed to grow, harvest, and process kelp. This could provide much-needed jobs for Indigenous communities, many of which have high unemployment rates.

On Eastern Long Island in New York, Shinnecock First Nation kelp farmers began planting kelp in December of 2021. They started small, with a manageable 20 spools of kelp and a year later, they had harvested 100 pounds. Most of the first batch was dried and sold as a natural fertilizer. They then donated excess spores to be used to help start other kelp farms. They have now expanded their operations from 20 spools of kelp to 200.

Since beginning operations, Shinnecock First Nation members have noticed that the water appears clearer, and wildlife are now returning. The group plans on hiring additional farmers from the nation bringing economic prosperity and stability to people that have been marginalized for too long.

 

Additional Thoughts

In addition to the environmental benefits of kelp cultivation, the Kwiakah’s approach also has the potential to create jobs and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities. Indigenous seaweed farming is a relatively new industry, but it is growing rapidly. As the demand for kelp products increases, more people will be needed to grow, harvest, and process kelp. This could provide much-needed jobs for Indigenous communities, many of which have high unemployment rates.

The Kwiakah’s approach to indigenous seaweed farming is an example of how Indigenous communities can use their traditional knowledge and values to create a sustainable future. By taking a slow, intentional approach and focusing on conservation, the Kwiakah ensure that kelp forests will be available for future generations. This is an important lesson for other Indigenous communities who are considering entering the kelp cultivation industry.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Amazon Invests in Windfarm based Seaweed Aquaculture

Posted on by dishanth
Amazon Invests in Windfarm based Seaweed Aquaculture

The farm Amazon is investing in is the first-ever commercial-scale seaweed farm situated between existing offshore wind turbines. The experimental project, known as North Sea Farm 1, is being established off the Dutch coast and aims to advance seaweed farming practices and study its ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The project can expand seaweed cultivation in the otherwise heavily used North Sea by locating the farm in previously empty space between turbines. Seaweed farming could reduce millions of tonnes of CO2 each year if it were to occupy the entire space occupied by wind farms by 2040, estimated to be approximately 1 million hectares.

Seaweed has been identified as a potential method of reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and is already farmed on a limited scale in Europe. Non-profit North Sea Farmers (NSF) is heading up a project monitored by researchers and industry specialists. This venture will provide an example of worldwide offshore seaweed farming.

The investment will provide the funds needed to build a 10-hectare seaweed farm that will produce at least 6,000kg of fresh seaweed in its first year. The Dutch government wants to build 21 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 and has set aside hundreds of thousands of hectares (acres) of the Dutch North Sea for wind parks. There are also plans to operate floating solar panels between the turbines in other projects.

This particular round of funding will support North Sea Farmers by assisting them in evaluating their production and allowing researchers to examine the potential for seaweed farms to reduce atmospheric carbon. The organization aims to use these discoveries to expedite industry growth. Furthermore, North Sea Farm 1 and others like it will generate work opportunities by cultivating and fabricating seaweed-based items.

With a consortium of organizations involved in the entire seaweed production supply chain, North Sea Farmers (NSF) will lead the project. The non-profit has championed the seaweed sector in Europe since 2014. Researchers at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Deltares and Silvestrum Climate Associates are among the participants, as are seaweed extract manufacturers Algaia and marine contractors Van Oord.

Replicas of North Sea Farm 1 across the North Sea, repurposing the space between wind farms, could create up to 85,000 full-time jobs in the European seaweed industry, according to Eef Brouwers, NSF Manager of Farming and Technology. In addition to the farming process, these jobs would be in producing and selling seaweed products.”

Amazon has invested in European communities through the Right Now Climate Fund, supporting nature and wildlife restoration programmes in France, Italy and Germany, and a rewilding and forestry project in the UK. Amazon is also providing funds for the conservation and restoration of forests in the Appalachian Mountains of the US, an Agroforestry Accelerator programme in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, and is a key member of the LEAF Coalition, a global public-private organization aiming to raise $1 billion to protect tropical rainforests around the world.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

Technion develops eco-friendly method of harvesting energy from seaweed

Posted on by dishanth
Technion develops eco-friendly method of harvesting energy from seaweed

Researchers from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology have developed a method that harvests an electrical current directly from seaweed in an environmentally friendly and efficient fashion.

The research, the idea for which came to doctoral student Yaniv Shlosberg while swimming at the beach, has been developed by a consortium of researchers from three Technion faculties and has been presented in the peer-reviewed Biosensors and Bioelectronics scientific journal. 

The research was led by Professor Noam Adir and Shlosberg in cooperation with researchers from the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute and others. 

The use of fossil fuels results in the emission of greenhouse gases and other polluting compounds, which have been found to be connected to climate change. Pollution due to the use of these fuels starts from their extraction and transportation around the globe, to be used in centralized power plants and refineries.

These problematic issues are the driving force behind research into methods of alternative, clean and renewable energy sources. One of these is the use of living organisms as the source of electrical currents in microbial fuel cells. Certain bacteria have the ability to transfer electrons to electrochemical cells to produce electrical current. The bacteria need to be constantly fed and some of them are pathogenic. A similar technology is Bio-PhotoElectrochemical Cells, the source of electrons can be from photosynthetic bacteria, especially cyanobacteria. 

Many different species of seaweed grow naturally on the Mediterranean shore of Israel, especially Ulva which is grown in large quantities at IOLR for research purposes.

After developing new methods to connect Ulva and BPEC, currents a thousand times greater than those from cyanobacteria were obtained. Adir noted that these increased currents are due to the high rate of seaweed photosynthesis, and the ability to use the seaweed in their natural seawater as the BPEC electrolyte – the solution that promotes electron transfer in the BPEC. In addition, the seaweed provides currents in the dark, about 50% of that obtained in light. The source of the dark current is from respiration – where sugars made by the photosynthetic process are used as an internal source of nutrients. In a fashion similar to the cyanobacterial BOEC, no additional chemicals are needed to obtain the current. The Ulva produce mediating electron transfer molecules that are secreted from the cells and transfer the electrons to the BPEC electrode.

Fossil fuel-based energy-producing technologies are known as “carbon positive.” This means that the process releases carbon into the atmosphere during fuel combustion. Solar cell technologies are known as “carbon-neutral”, no carbon is released into the atmosphere. However, the production of solar cells and their transportation to the site of use is many times more “carbon positive”. The new technology presented here is “carbon negative”. The seaweed absorbs carbon from the atmosphere during the day while growing and releasing oxygen. During the harvesting of the currents during the day, no carbon is released. During the night, the seaweed releases the normal amount of carbon from respiration. In addition, seaweed, especially Ulva, is grown for a variety of industries: food (Ulva is also considered a superfood), cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

“It is a wonder where scientific ideas come from,” Shlosberg said. “I had the idea one day when I went to the beach. At the time I was studying the cyanobacterial BPEC when I noticed seaweed on a rock that looked like electrical cords. I said to myself – since they also perform photosynthesis, maybe we can use them to produce currents. From this idea came the collaboration from all the Technion and IOLR researchers which led to our most recent paper. I believe that our idea can lead to a real revolution in clean energy production.”

Technion and IOLR researchers built a prototype device that collects the current directly in the Ulva growth vat. 

Professor Adir added: “By presenting our prototype device, we show that significant currents can be harvested from the seaweed. We believe that the technology can be further improved leading to future green energy technologies.”

 

 

Source Israel Hayom