CCNB & Acadian Seaplants make sustainable fertilizer

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CCNB & Acadian Seaplants make sustainable fertilizer
From the Springboard Content Lab 

When seaweed harvesting and processing company Acadian Seaplants Limited wanted to create an eco-friendly fertilizer from seaweed, it turned to Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. 

Chemists in the college’s Bioprocessing Centre conducted research to help the company manufacture an additive for a plant bio-stimulant made from rockweed, a seaweed species Acadian Seaplants harvests in Atlantic Canada.  

Researchers tested a combination of micro-organisms to transform biomass left over from rockweed processing into a high-value product that could be used to promote the growth and health of plants. 

CCNB collaborates with Acadian Seaplants

We needed to find a process to help us use 100% of the valuable seaweed biomass and create a new product. Thanks to the Springboard network, they put us in touch with the CCNB research group in Grand Falls who are known for their work in transforming biomass at the pilot scale – a perfect match for us!

Kevin Shiell, Formulations Manager
Acadian Seaplants

“We had to find a way to transform their by-product into a high-value substance without using chemicals or solvents,” said Mike Doucette, executive director of contract training and customized learning for CCNB.  CCNB decided that bioprocessing would be the best option. The research was funded by a grant from the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).   

Mike Doucette,
Executive Director of Contract Training and Customized Learning for CCNB. 

Acadian Seaplants, headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is a world leader in the processing of seaweed-based products for various markets, including food, biochemical, agricultural, and agri-chemical industries.  

Springboard Atlantic is a network of 19 colleges and universities specializing in research commercialization and industry-led research in Atlantic Canada. It is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency , Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and member institutions.