Simulation and Evaluation of Processing Technologies for the Valorization of Sargassum

While the arrival of sargassum on the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean represents a threat to the population and the environment, its valorization into high-value-added products represents an opportunity from a circular economy perspective. This paper proposes four technological processing routes to produce sodium alginate, polyhydroxybutyrate, lactic acid, and bioenergy. The study includes synthesis, industrial scale design, simulation, and techno-economic-environmental assessment, which allows the determination of the feasibility and profitability for informed decision-making based on the conceptual design of a biorefinery. The results of the comprehensive evaluation of the case studies indicate that the best alternative is sodium alginate production, with a return on investment of over 80%, a payback period of less than three years, and low environmental impact in terms of CO2 emissions, water consumption, heat transfer agents, and electricity. The cases of co-production of sodium alginate, lactic acid, and biofertilizer and co-production of sodium alginate, PHB, and biofertilizer also demonstrate profitability, with returns on investment of up to 73% and 51%, respectively. However, bioenergy production by cogeneration is unprofitable due to the current costs of sargassum collection and management.