Technologies to improve sea grass beds: Environmentally active concrete
ENTRY DATE: 26.04.2012 | LAST UPDATE: 26.04.2012
CATEGORIES:
- Coastal Regions
- Sea grass beds
TECHNOLOGIES MATURITY:
At the demonstration testing stage
Technology Owners:
・There are research cases by private sector companies and by universities.
Needs Address
The need to reduce the deterioration or loss of sea grass in areas that may be affected by sea level rise and changes in storm intensity, and in areas where deterioration is already occurring due to human factors.
Adaptation effects
・Prevention of deterioration of natural ecosystems due to climate change, etc.
Overview and Features
・"Environmentally active concrete" is concrete containing a mix of arginine, and on it algae grow at a faster rate than on ordinary concrete.
・Arginine is a type of amino acid in abundant quantities in marine products, and has a growth effect on plants and certain types of algae.
・By using this "organic" concrete in the sea instead of the "inorganic" concrete typically used, an affinity is created on the boundary between the natural and the artificial, thereby supporting the food chain and ecosystem.
Features of environmentally active concrete
Source: http://www.nikken-kogaku.co.jp/special/amicon/index.html
Cost
35,000 to 60,000 yen/m3 (in the case of Japan
Note: Conventional concrete costs 10,000 yen/m3
Considerations
・Productions costs are higher than for conventional concrete.
・The environmentally active concrete is less effective at propagating growth of sea grass in marine areas experiencing eutrophication.
・The growing results of the sea grass may vary depending on the sea water temperature and species growing.
Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries
・Improvement and conservation of biodiversity (the area contains diverse habitat for flora and fauna in coastal zones), the attraction effect on sea life
・Carbon sequestration
・Increased employment opportunities (fisheries)
Information Resources
・Ajinomoto Co., Inc (in Japanese)
http://www.ajinomoto.co.jp/activity/sustainability/concrete/
・Nikken Kogaku Co., Ltd. (in Japanese)
http://www.nikken-kogaku.co.jp/special/amicon/index.html