Mexican Researcher Builds Machine to Process 40 Tons of Sargassum per Hour, Aims to Bring It to Quintana Roo

Chetumal, Quintana Roo — Researcher Guillermo Pedro Rodríguez Ortiz has unveiled a machine he says can process roughly 40 tons of sargassum an hour, technology he wants to deploy along the Quintana Roo coast to deal with the annual arrival of the seaweed.

The dehydrating unit, called “Lamm,” has already been built and is sitting in the state of Querétaro, waiting for government authorization and the permits needed to move it, according to its creator.

Rodríguez Ortiz said the project took 12 years of work and began after sargassum first hit the state in massive quantities in late 2011. He described the development as entirely Mexican, carried out independently with his own funds and backed by analyses endorsed by several universities.

Targeting the gases and runoff from rotting seaweed

According to the researcher, the dehydration process is designed to eliminate the contaminants produced when sargassum decomposes in the open air. In his account, it would prevent the release of biogases such as hydrogen sulfide and methane, as well as leachates that can harm human health and the coastal ecosystem.

As part of his outreach, Rodríguez Ortiz presented the project to President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo during her recent visit to Chetumal. He is also seeking meetings with the Environment Ministry (Semarnat), the National Tourism Development Fund (Fonatur) and the Mexican Navy (Semar).

The aim is to set up a pilot program in Quintana Roo using an estimated fleet of seven machines — two operating at sea and five on land — to cover the state’s beaches.