KVM 2020_Sargassum: from environmental problem to agricultural resource: the ValoSarg project (BO-43-113-011, BO-43-003.01-028)

During growth at sea, sargassum (a type of micro-alga) covers large surface areas, resulting in light limitation and negative impact on the ecosystems. When landing on shore of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, it pollutes the coast and may cause environmental and health problems to humans and animals. Sargassum biomass also has a large currently untapped potential for valorisation. Bottlenecks for valorisation include a lack of large-scale storage capacities and lack of large-scale processing infrastructure. In collaboration with Dutch and local partners, we will develop strategies for the valorization of sargassum.