INTEC researchers develop flexible biorefinery model for sargassum and agricultural waste

Researchers at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) are developing a flexible biorefinery model designed to transform sargassum and agricultural residues into high-value products. The project, titled ‘ResAgroSargazo’, aims to move from laboratory-scale results toward future pilot installations.

To address the seasonal variability of sargassum availability, the model utilizes a multi-biomass approach. By integrating terrestrial agricultural waste—such as sugarcane bagasse, coffee husks, cocoa, and coconut—the refinery can maintain consistent operations regardless of seaweed influx levels.

The proposed cascade utilization process extracts various materials: high-value chemical compounds for the cosmetic, textile, and pharmaceutical industries; structural materials like construction panels and industrial filters; and energy vectors including biogas and syngas. Additionally, the process can produce biochar and activated carbon for soil nutrient retention and water purification.

The research was published in the journal ACS Sustainable Resource Management and was conducted in collaboration with the Interuniversity Network for Sargassum Research (SARGARD) and French institutions, with funding from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.