A Multidisciplinary Approach to Posidonia oceanica Detritus Management (Port of Sperlonga, Italy): A Story of Turning a Problem into a Resource

Abstract

Ports are affected by a high rate of sedimentation that requires frequent dredging of the seabed to restore bathymetric levels. In some cases, the sediments consist of a large amount of leaves of phanerogams (e.g., P. oceanica) that must be treated differently from what is required by the Italian law on sediments (Ministerial Decree No. 173/2016), since soils cannot be treated either as sediment or as waste. About one meter of the sediment cores collected in the Port of Sperlonga consisted of organic waste derived from a different stage of seagrass decomposition. To optimize the management, the decomposed organic detritus was characterized from physical-chemical (content of nutrient and pollutants), ecotoxicological and mechanical (microtensile, microscopic structure) points of view, to define different management solutions for the final disposal. The results of this study describe the characteristics of this type of organic detritus, highly present in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems, and allow a better definition of different possible solutions to valorize this resource instead of disposing it in an organic waste landfill. The search for environmentally friendly options for waste management is of particular interest in terms of the green economy, and the reduction of CO2 emissions as an indirect effect obtained by improving waste recycling.