Proven performance of GeoGard EPDM in spirulina aquaculture farm
Spirulina, a type of microalgae that grows in both fresh and salt water, is one of the most popular food supplements in the world, packed with nutritional goodness such as vitamins, protein and minerals.
| Project ID | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lunel, France |
| Application | Aquaculture ponds |
| Surface | 3,200 m² |
| Membrane | GeoGard EPDM |
ALGOSUD is a French artisanal spirulina production company. Their aquaculture farm is located in Lunel, in the south of France, where they have been established since 2003. In 2011 and 2014, they carried out extensions, adding 16 spirulina production pools which were waterproofed with 3,200 m² of Elevate’s GeoGard EPDM geomembrane.
As spirulina needs heat to grow and proliferate, the spirulina pools are inside greenhouses to reproduce natural conditions as closely as possible and to protect the product from external contamination (heavy metals in the rain, insects, birds, etc.). The average water temperature of the spirulina pools is 25° C.
In February 2017, when the pools were empty for maintenance, samples of the GeoGard EPDM membrane were taken from the bottom of a pool that was in contact with the spirulina in order to assess the chemical compatibility between the membrane and the culture medium. The results of the analysis, carried out by a third party, showed that the mechanical performance of the GeoGard EPDM geomembrane and its chemical composition were not modified on contact with the culture medium, even after 6 years of exposure. These results support the interest of using GeoGard EPDM for the production of spirulina.
