A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production

The increased use of terrestrial crops for biofuel production and the associated environmental, social and ethical issues have led to a search for alternative biomass materials. Terrestrial crops offer excellent biogas recovery, but compete directly with food production, requiring farmland, fresh wa...

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Main Authors: Yann Nicolas Barbot, Hashem Al-Ghaili, Roland Benz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2016-06-01
Series:Marine Drugs
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/14/6/120
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author Yann Nicolas Barbot
Hashem Al-Ghaili
Roland Benz
author_facet Yann Nicolas Barbot
Hashem Al-Ghaili
Roland Benz
author_sort Yann Nicolas Barbot
collection DOAJ
description The increased use of terrestrial crops for biofuel production and the associated environmental, social and ethical issues have led to a search for alternative biomass materials. Terrestrial crops offer excellent biogas recovery, but compete directly with food production, requiring farmland, fresh water and fertilizers. Using marine macroalgae for the production of biogas circumvents these problems. Their potential lies in their chemical composition, their global abundance and knowledge of their growth requirements and occurrence patterns. Such a biomass industry should focus on the use of residual and waste biomass to avoid competition with the biomass requirements of the seaweed food industry, which has occurred in the case of terrestrial biomass. Overabundant seaweeds represent unutilized biomass in shallow water, beach and coastal areas. These eutrophication processes damage marine ecosystems and impair local tourism; this biomass could serve as biogas feedstock material. Residues from biomass processing in the seaweed industry are also of interest. This is a rapidly growing industry with algae now used in the comestible, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. The simultaneous production of combustible biomethane and disposal of undesirable biomass in a synergistic waste management system is a concept with environmental and resource-conserving advantages.
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spelling doaj.art-2bef01a8b6ad494b8cdfe220f33d2c772022-12-22T01:58:21ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972016-06-0114612010.3390/md14060120md14060120A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane ProductionYann Nicolas Barbot0Hashem Al-Ghaili1Roland Benz2Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, Bremen 28759, GermanyDepartment of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, Bremen 28759, GermanyDepartment of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen, Campus Ring 1, Bremen 28759, GermanyThe increased use of terrestrial crops for biofuel production and the associated environmental, social and ethical issues have led to a search for alternative biomass materials. Terrestrial crops offer excellent biogas recovery, but compete directly with food production, requiring farmland, fresh water and fertilizers. Using marine macroalgae for the production of biogas circumvents these problems. Their potential lies in their chemical composition, their global abundance and knowledge of their growth requirements and occurrence patterns. Such a biomass industry should focus on the use of residual and waste biomass to avoid competition with the biomass requirements of the seaweed food industry, which has occurred in the case of terrestrial biomass. Overabundant seaweeds represent unutilized biomass in shallow water, beach and coastal areas. These eutrophication processes damage marine ecosystems and impair local tourism; this biomass could serve as biogas feedstock material. Residues from biomass processing in the seaweed industry are also of interest. This is a rapidly growing industry with algae now used in the comestible, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. The simultaneous production of combustible biomethane and disposal of undesirable biomass in a synergistic waste management system is a concept with environmental and resource-conserving advantages.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/14/6/120macroalgaebiogasindustrial wastebiomethaneresiduesbioconversioneutrophicationseaweed
spellingShingle Yann Nicolas Barbot
Hashem Al-Ghaili
Roland Benz
A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
Marine Drugs
macroalgae
biogas
industrial waste
biomethane
residues
bioconversion
eutrophication
seaweed
title A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
title_full A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
title_fullStr A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
title_full_unstemmed A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
title_short A Review on the Valorization of Macroalgal Wastes for Biomethane Production
title_sort review on the valorization of macroalgal wastes for biomethane production
topic macroalgae
biogas
industrial waste
biomethane
residues
bioconversion
eutrophication
seaweed
url http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/14/6/120
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