Solar-Dried Biofertilizers from Marine Waste: Enhancing the Circular Economy

Beatriz Castillo-Téllez, Margarita Castillo Téllez (), Martha Fabiola Martín del Campo (), Edgar Oswaldo Zamora González, Alfredo Domínguez Niño and Gerardo Alberto Mejía-Pérez
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Beatriz Castillo-Téllez: Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico
Margarita Castillo Téllez: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, San Francisco de Campeche 24079, Mexico
Martha Fabiola Martín del Campo: Centro Universitario del Norte, Universidad de Guadalajara, Colotlan 46200, Mexico
Edgar Oswaldo Zamora González: Centro Universitario del Norte, Universidad de Guadalajara, Colotlan 46200, Mexico
Alfredo Domínguez Niño: Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelos 62580, Mexico
Gerardo Alberto Mejía-Pérez: Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: Food waste contributes to hunger, poverty, and environmental pollution. Unfortunately, seafood, which provides high nutrient content, is significantly underutilized, with only 30% of high-value seafood consumed. This study addresses the urgent need to reuse these wastes, converting them into biofertilizers through solar drying. A solar drying plant was designed and built to produce fish powder as the base of fertilizer, achieving an equilibrium humidity of 400 kg in 11 h after sterilization by pre-cooking. The resulting biofertilizer was rigorously tested for its macronutrient composition, germination rate, presence of coliforms, and phytotoxicity. The findings indicate that fish waste can effectively replace synthetic fertilizers, fostering a circular economy and promoting sustainable agriculture. This research highlights the potential of using marine debris to produce biofertilizers, contributing to global sustainability efforts by harnessing marine debris and solar energy to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers.

Keywords: marine waste; biofertilizer; solar drying; circular economy; sustainable agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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