A comparative environmental life cycle assessment of hatchery, cultivation, and preservation of the kelp Saccharina latissima
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2021

Seaweed cultivation and processing industries could contribute to sustainable blue growth and the European bioeconomy. This article contributes a case study evaluation of environmental sustainability of preserved brown seaweed Saccharina latissima by means of environmental life cycle assessment of a pilot facility in Sweden. The study accounts for nutrient bioremediation and carbon capture and includes two alternative hatchery processes, a 2-ha longline cultivation, and four alternative preservation methods (hang-drying outdoors, heated air-cabinet drying, ensiling, and freezing). The study found that as a result of carbon capture and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake (bioremediation) by seaweed, more CO2 and PO4 equivalents are (temporarily) absorbed than emitted by the supply chain. The extent of emissions is most affected by preservation methods undertaken. Impact profiles of the supply chain show that the greatest impact shares result from freezing and air-cabinet drying, both the two most energy-intensive processes, followed by the cultivation infrastructure, highlighting strategic optimization opportunities. Hatchery processes, harvesting, and the low-energy ensilage and hang-drying outdoors were found to have relatively small impact shares. These findings presage the environmentally friendliness of seaweed-based products by documenting their potential to mitigate eutrophication and climate change, even when taking a life cycle perspective.

marine bioeconomy

brown seaweed or kelp cultivation and preservation

bioremediation

life cycle assessment

aquaculture

blue growth

climate change mitigation

environmental impacts

eutrophication mitigation

Författare

J. B. E. Thomas

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH)

M. Sodre Ribeiro

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH)

J. Potting

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH)

EnviroSpotting

G. Cervin

Göteborgs universitet

G. M. Nylund

Göteborgs universitet

Joakim Olsson

Chalmers, Biologi och bioteknik, Industriell bioteknik

Eva Albers

Chalmers, Biologi och bioteknik, Industriell bioteknik

Ingrid Undeland

Chalmers, Biologi och bioteknik, Livsmedelsvetenskap

H. Pavia

Göteborgs universitet

F. Grondahl

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH)

ICES Journal of Marine Science

1054-3139 (ISSN) 1095-9289 (eISSN)

Vol. 78 1 451-467

Makroalger för ett biobaserat samhälle - odling, bioraffinering och energiutvinning (SEAFARM)

Formas (213-2013-92), 2013-01-01 -- 2017-12-31.

Ämneskategorier

Annan naturresursteknik

Miljöanalys och bygginformationsteknik

Energisystem

DOI

10.1093/icesjms/fsaa112

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2021-06-21