Brown algae, a common waste material found along the shores of countries such as Belize in the Americas and the Caribbean, release hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, creating an unpleasant odor that accumulates on beaches on an estimated 20 million tons across the Caribbean annually. Huge influxes of accumulated Sargassum disrupt ecosystems and cause socioeconomic problems, with coastal resorts usually cleaning it up and disposing of it in landfills, which presents environmental challenges, resulting in significant annual cleanup costs, ranging from US$ $0.3–1.1 M per kilometer. With the pressing global imperative for achieving net-zero emissions to address rising temperatures, there is limited understanding regarding carbon capture from sargassum (brown algae). Repurposing it as agricultural mulch biofilm could potentially provide a solution. We have successfully fabricated a layer-by-layer biodegradable film with sodium alginate (SA) extracted from sargassum and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the substrate, alongside beeswax as an anti-water additive, resulting in a film with one side hydrophobic and the other side hydrophilic. UV-Vis spectroscopy results indicate promising optical properties, with transmittance below 1%. The films begin degrading within 2 months and fully vanish upon exposure to heavy rain. The water sensitivity, demonstrated by a contact angle range of 70° to over 115°, supports the layer-by-layer texture with one side hydrophilic and the other side hydrophobic. The tensile strength of the film ranges ≥10 MPa. Ongoing work aims to further elucidate degradation pathways and mechanical properties.
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