A Systematic Review on Seaweed Functionality: A Sustainable Bio-Based Material

Abstract

Sustainable development is an integrated approach to tackle ongoing global challenges such as resource depletion, environmental degradation, and climate change. However, a paradigm shift from a fossil-based economy to a bio-based economy must accomplish the circularity principles in order to be sustainable as a solution. The exploration of new feedstock possibilities has potential to unlock the bio-based economy’s true potential, wherein a cascading approach would maximize value creation. Seaweed has distinctive chemical properties, a fast growth rate, and other promising benefits beyond its application as food, making it a suitable candidate to substitute fossil-based products. Economic and environmental aspects can make seaweed a lucrative business; however, seasonal variation, cultivation, harvesting, and product development challenges have yet not been considered. Therefore, a clear forward path is needed to consider all aspects, which would lead to the commercialization of financially viable seaweed-based bioproducts. In this article, seaweed’s capability and probable functionality to aid the bio-based economy are systematically discussed. The possible biorefinery approaches, along with its environmental and economic aspects of sustainability, are also dealt with. Ultimately, the developmental process, by-product promotion, financial assistance, and social acceptance approach are summarized, which is essential when considering seaweed-based products’ feasibility. Besides keeping feedstock and innovative technologies at the center of bio-economy transformation, it is imperative to follow sustainable-led management practices to meet sustainable development goals.

Proximate and mineral compositions of the green seaweeds Caulerpa lentilifera and Caulerpa racemosa from South Sulawesi Coast, Indonesia

“…Higher than some varieties of green seaweed such as Condium tomentosum (9.5%) from Tamilnadu [35]. According to Nakhate and van der Meer (2021) [36] generally, green seaweed contains quite excessive protein (15-25%). The various protein content is influenced by species, seasonal changes, and light intensity [37].…”

“…Even in this study, C. racemosa had a higher lipid content than the results obtained by [25] of 1.03 ± 0.01%. There are differences in the lipid content of seaweed which can be influenced by geographical location and seasons which have an essential impact on the lipid content and growth of seaweed [36,39]. The incredibly low-lipid content of Caulerpa is very good for human health, so this seaweed is secure for consumption in large quantities and its utilization can be advanced as one of the main ingredients in low-fat diet foods.…”

Having our Kelp and Eating it Too: Minimising Trade-offs from Seaweed Farming

“…Nevertheless, employing a bio-refinery approach, whereby a step-wise process is used to first remove high-value nutraceuticals, then proteins for food and feed, and then finally biomass for bio-fuels [51][52][53] could increase the dollar value of a unit of harvested biomass manifold 54 , and thereby alter the shape of the Pareto frontiers we have presented here. Similarly, the proportion of harvest used as food vs. carbon was fixed for the duration of the simulation, whereas in reality, farmers would dynamically decide how and where to utilise their product in response to shifting market prices and demand.…”

Seaweeds: Bioactive Components and Properties, Potential Risk Factors, Uses, Extraction and Purification Methods

“…They are now a possible energy source as biofuels (Del Río et al, 2020) and important as biobased goods (Nakhate & van der Meer, 2021) and biopolymers (Jumaidin et al, 2018). In addition, Seaweeds are also employed in aquaculture as probiotics (Vatsos & Rebours, 2015;Nazarudin et al, 2020) animal feed additive (Makkar et al, 2016;Morais et al, 2020), water purifier (Arumugam et al, 2018), bio-elicitors (Agarwal et al, 2021), plant fertilizer (Ruban & Govindasamy, 2018), biostimulants (Pereira & Cotas, 2019) and as seaweed-based liquid oganic fertilizer to other seaweed such as to stimulate the growth and quality of G. verrucosa (Nasmia et al, 2020).…”