University of Florida Selects Myno Carbon for Innovative Sargassum-to-Biochar Water Quality Research

Collaboration with University of Florida researchers explores a holistic solution that transforms problematic coastal biomass into beneficial, enhanced biochar for water treatment

SARASOTA, Fla., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Myno Carbon has been selected by the University of Florida (UF) to participate in an innovative research project exploring how sargassum collected from coastal areas can be transformed into enhanced biochar and used to improve water quality. The company's expertise is focused on biochar, pyrolysis — the thermal process used to convert biomass into stable carbon-rich material ‒ and can deliver large commercial-scale biochar projects.

Led by UF Professor Dengjun (Kevin) Wang and his research team through the funding support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, the study will bring together expertise in water quality, biochar science, and pyrolysis to evaluate a full-circle approach to a growing environmental challenge.

The concept is intentionally circular: remove problematic sargassum from coastal environments, convert that biomass into enhanced biochar, and evaluate the resulting material for its ability to remove contaminants and improve water quality.

"Sargassum creates a significant challenge for coastal communities, but it also represents a biomass resource that may have beneficial environmental applications. By combining UF's water-quality research with Myno Carbon's expertise in pyrolysis and biochar, we have an opportunity to evaluate an innovative and potentially circular approach to this problem," said Dengjun (Kevin) Wang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at UF and the principal investigator for the project.

Turning an Environmental Challenge into a Potential Solution

Sargassum plays an important role in the open-ocean ecosystem, but massive accumulations along coastlines can create significant environmental and economic challenges. Large quantities washing ashore can affect near-shore ecosystems, tourism, and coastal communities and require extensive collection and management.

The issue is particularly timely in 2026. Researchers at the University of South Florida expect 2026 to be at least the second-largest sargassum year in the satellite record, behind only 2025. Sargassum abundance has reached record levels in portions of the Caribbean and Gulf this year.

Rather than treating collected sargassum solely as a waste stream, the UF project is investigating whether it can become part of the solution.

Harvested sargassum will be processed through pyrolysis to create biochar. Researchers will then evaluate the resulting material for water-treatment applications, including its potential ability to capture or immobilize contaminants, particularly in oyster beds.

For Myno, the research represents an extension of the company's work developing enhanced biochar for specific environmental challenges, including remediation applications involving PFAS, petroleum hydrocarbons, and heavy metals.

"This project captures exactly what we believe the next generation of biochar can accomplish," said Thor Kallestad, CEO and co-founder of Myno Carbon. "We're taking a material that is creating an environmental problem, applying science and advanced pyrolysis to transform it, and then evaluating whether that same material can help solve another environmental problem. That combination of waste-to-value, carbon management and remediation is incredibly exciting."

Advancing Biochar 3.0

Myno refers to this approach as Biochar 3.0 — moving beyond biochar as a widely used soil amendment, and beyond economic reliance on carbon credits, toward scientifically designed carbon materials tailored to specific environmental applications.

The sargassum project expands that approach into water treatment while bringing together academic research, government environmental expertise, and private-sector pyrolysis capabilities.

The pyrolysis process also converts biomass carbon into a more durable form, adding a carbon-management dimension to a project already focused on waste utilization and water quality.

"We believe some of the biggest environmental challenges require collaboration across disciplines," Kallestad added. "Working with Professor Wang, the University of Florida and EPA Region 4 gives us an opportunity to apply Myno's capabilities to a unique feedstock and advance the science around how biochar can be used to solve complex environmental problems."

The project is part of Myno Carbon's broader commitment to working with universities, engineering firms, government agencies and industry partners to develop and validate new applications for biochar in environmental remediation and carbon management.

Organizations interested in collaborating with Myno Carbon on biochar research, environmental remediation or new product development can learn more at MynoCarbon.com.

About Myno Carbon

Myno Carbon is at the forefront of sustainable carbon solutions, specializing in the production of renewable biochar products that drive innovation in environmental remediation, and scalable carbon removal. By transforming waste biomass into valuable renewable carbon products, Myno advances a more climate-resilient future and environmental stewardship. 

SOURCE Myno Carbon