Sargassum Hornification for Particulate Composites: A Circular Economy and Coastal Sustainability Approach

• Grant number: 24/16946-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Joao Adriano Rossignolo
• Grantee: Afonso José Felicio Peres Duran
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/12355-0 - Increasing local preparedness to Sargassum tides in the Amazon and the Mexican Caribbean through enhanced monitoring and blue economies, AP.R

Abstract

This project proposes an innovative approach for the sustainable use of pelagic Sargassum, a seaweed that has caused huge strandings along the coasts of the Caribbean, West Africa and northern Brazil since 2011, resulting in serious environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The research aims to make viable the use of this biomass in the production of medium-density particleboards, through the hornification effect - a cyclic drying and wetting method that modifies the cellular structure of the biomass, reducing its water absorption capacity and increasing its structural stability. The methodology of this project includes the collection of Sargassum biomass from the affected lesions, followed by its microstructural characterization and evaluation of its physicochemical properties. Drying and wetting cycles will be applied to promote the hornification effect, which will be monitored by water absorption tests, microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), to determine the crystallinity index of the biomass. The performance of the panels will be evaluated based on the standards NBR 14810-2:2018 and ISO 16893:2016, considering the physical, mechanical and hygroscopic properties of the composites. In addition to the use of Sargassum, the panels will be composed of local agro-industrial by-products, such as sugarcane bagasse and green coconut husk fibers, as well as recycled plastic waste, forming a hybrid material that reinforces the concept of circular economy in the affected regions. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) will be carried out to compare the potential environmental impact of the panels produced with conventional processes, with the aim of identifying and quantifying the environmental benefits generated by the use of Sargassum biomass and other waste. With hornification, it is expected to solve the problems of dimensional instability and high water absorption, which currently limit the use of Sargassum in composite materials. Furthermore, by associating Sargassum with other local by-products and plastic waste, the project proposes an innovative technical solution that not only mitigates the environmental impacts of algae stranding, but also adds economic value to the affected regions.