Algarikon Mar Menor, a company from Murcia, has embarked on the Algarikon Zero project intending to tackle one of the region's most pressing environmental challenges: the accumulation of algae on the coasts of the Mar Menor, which harms local biodiversity. The initiative seeks to convert these algae into substrates for the cultivation of edible mushrooms and biofertilizers for vegetables, in addition to exploring the use of marine sludge for the production of biomethane through anaerobic processes.
The name Algarikon comes from the combination of "algae", referring to the invasive algae of the Mar Menor, and "agarikon", a term of Greek origin related to the knowledge of medicinal plants. This project focuses on the use of edible fungi as a solution to mitigate the negative environmental impact of eutrophication in the Mar Menor.
The goal of Algarikon Zero is to use the algae accumulated on the shores of the Mar Menor as a substrate for mushroom cultivation and, using environmentally sustainable technologies, to extract compounds with food applications from algal waste. The potential of these extracts as biostimulants, biofertilizers, and organic amendments for contaminated soils will be evaluated and their use as a substrate in the cultivation of lettuce in greenhouses will be investigated.
The project's final phase involves transforming waste into methane through anaerobic digestion and evaluating its energy efficiency. The Chelonia Association and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners have awarded Algarikon Mar Menor the Mares Circulares award, which will allow expanding the project to reintroduce the post-methanization digestate as a complement to mushroom cultivation and as a biofertilizer in lettuce production.
Source: expansion.com