SEAFARM: Seaweeds for a Biobased Society farming, biorefining and energy production

Fredrik Gröndahl - Associate Professor, Industrial Ecology, KTH, Stockholm.Ope

Characterization and in vitro assessment of seaweed bioactives with potential to reduce methane production

This study collates compositional analysis of seaweeds data with information generated from in vitro gas production assays in the presence and absence of seaweeds. The aim was to assess and rank 27 native northern European seaweeds as potential feed ingredients for use to reduce methane emissions from ruminants. It provides information for use in future in vivo dietary trials concerning feed manipulation strategies to reduce CH4 emissions efficiently from domestic ruminants based on dietary seaweed supplementation. The seaweeds H. siliquosa and A. nodosum belonging to phylum Phaeophyta displayed the highest concentration of phlorotannins and antioxidant activity among the macroalgae giving anti-methanogenic effect in vitro, while this explanation was not valid for the observed reduction in methane when supplementing with C. filum and L. digitata in this study. D. carnosa and C. tenuicorne belonging to phylum Rhodophyta had the highest protein content among the macroalgae that reduced methane production in vitro. There were no obvious explanation from the compositional analysis conducted in this study to the reduced methane production in vitro when supplementing with U. lactuca belonging to phylum Chlorophyta. The strongest and most complete methane inhibition in vitro was observed when supplementing with Asparagopsis taxiformis that was used as a positive control in this study

Socioeconomic prospects of a seaweed bioeconomy in Sweden

Seaweed cultivation is a large industry worldwide, but production in Europe is small compared to production in Asian countries. In the EU, the motivations for seaweed farming may be seen from two perspectives; one being economic growth through biomass production and the other being the provisioning of ecosystem services such as mitigating eutrophication. In this paper, we assess the economic potential of large-scale cultivation of kelp, Saccharina latissima, along the Swedish west coast, including the value of externalities. The findings suggest that seaweed farming has the potential of becoming a profitable industry in Sweden. Furthermore, large-scale seaweed farming can sequester asignificant share of annual anthropogenic nitrogen and phosphorus inflows to the basins of the Swedish west coast (8% of N and 60% of P). Concerning the valuation of externalities, positive values generated from sequestration of nitrogen and phosphorus are potentially counteracted by negative values frominterference with recreational values. Despite the large N and P uptake, the socioeconomic value of this sequestration is only a minor share of the potential financial value from biomass production. This suggests that e.g. payment schemes for nutrient uptake based on the socioeconomic values generatedis not likely to be a tipping point for the industry. Additionally, seaweed cultivation is not a cost-efficient measure in itself to remove nutrients. Policy should thus be oriented towards industry development, as the market potential of the biomass will be the driver that may unlock these bioremediationopportunities

Sustainable Use of Algae Biomass for a Swedish Bio-based Economy

Fredrik Gröndahl - Associate Professor at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology; Stockholm Sweden Abstract: The talk was about using algae both micro- and macroalgae cultured or collected from the Swedish coastal waters. The algae biomass may be used in a biorefinery extracting valuable ingredients for food, feed and biochemicals. The rest products from the biorefinery will be used for bioenergy production, e.g., biogas. If the algae are cultured in the sea, the project will also work as an environmental project reducing the nutrient content in coastal waters. If the ideas will work out, it may be an important part of blue growth in Sweden and Sweden’s strategy for a bio-based economy. Dr. Grondahl was at ISTC for a 3-day visit with other colleagues to discuss research collaborations and internship opportunities at UIUC.Ope

A practical approach to integrating research and education : a course experiment from KTH, Sweden

In this study we evaluate a project-based learning course called Applied Ecology, within the master program Sustainable Technology at the Division of Industrial Ecology, at KTH – Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. The case study in the course is focused on the effects of a relatively large Bay, “Burgsviken”, situated on the island Gotland in the middle of the Baltic Sea, that has changed due to the eutrophication in the area. The eutrophication of the Bay has initiated bottom up processes of discussion and engagement among the stakeholders in the area, for the enhancement of the water quality and biological services of the bay, that would in turn improve fishing, swimming, biological diversity and tourism. There are several stakeholders involved in the project: a local non-profit organisation, farmers, entrepreneurs, authorities, permanent and seasonal inhabitants, researchers and others. The course is evaluated according to the methodology of Brundiers and Wiek (2013). Student evaluations have been conducted and analysed in relation to four phases: (1) Orienting phase, formulation of research question. (2) Framing phase, methodology and study planning. (3) Research phase, field study and other examinations. (4) Implementation phase, communication of the results with different stakeholders. The Applied Ecology course shares many of the positive features of other PPBL courses in the sustainability field – namely that it focuses on a real sustainability problem and that the student-centred learning approach and interactions between students and stakeholders make the student partnership in the project feel real, thus providing a practical insight of complex societal challenges.There are potential ways of improving all four phases of the course that were studied, but especially in the research phase and the implementation phase more efforts are needed. Feedback and reflections in the research phase could be improved by a clearer communication and to some extent changed pedagogical process through the course. All phases will be improved by increased communication before, during and after fieldwork between student, teachers and stakeholders.Non UBCUnreviewedFacultyOthe

Survey of waste water disposal practices at Antarctic research stations

Source: Polardok by Swedish Polar Research Secretariat</p

Regional variations in the chemical composition of fresh and composted beachcast on the island of Gotland, Sweden – considering future treatments

Harvesting beachcast from coastal zones to use the biomass in agriculture or horticulture could mitigate eutrophication while contributing to resource substitution of fossil-based inputs in food production. As such, beachcast holds great resource potential in a bio-based circular economy, but its chemical properties prove challenging, and more research is required to develop treatment techniques that will allow the realisation of such a system. We compiled results from chemical analyses of fresh beachcast from a database within the marine policy scheme, LOVA, in Gotland, Sweden, to study local and seasonal variations in macronutrients, C:N ratio, and Cd content. This data complemented with analyses of fresh and composted beachcast (passive pile treatment), for which the contents of macronutrient, ammonium, nitrate, and Cd, were measured, calculating C:N ratios and maturity indices (NH4+-N/NO3—N). The results confirm that regional variations in the above-mentioned properties require investments in treatment techniques and strategies to make beachcast usable. QC 20231110</p