Microbial Profiling and Biosafety Assessment of a Sargassum-Based Liquid Biofertilizer Using 16S rRNA Metagenomics Yaset Rodríguez-Rodríguez Ulises Javier Jáuregui-Haza Edian F. Franco Ashley Marie Mejía Disla Máximo Elías Reynoso Ortega Gustavo Gandini Pamela Tejada-Tejada Miguel Ángel Guevara Carlos Willian Dias Dantas Rommel T. Ramos Sargassum liquid biofertilizer seaweed biomass microbial diversity biosafety assessment 16S rRNA metagenomics Staphylococcus bacilli Firmicutes Proteobacteria heavy metals integrated nutrient management tropical agriculture Sargassum seaweed is increasingly abundant in the Caribbean, creating ecological disruption but also providing biomass for agricultural inputs. This study compares the microbial diversity and safety of a Sargassum ‐based liquid biofertilizer (SBLB‐INTEC) with those of a conventional product (LB‐BANELINO) using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, rather than culture‐dependent methods. Both formulations contained key nutrients (K, Ca, and Mg) and low levels of heavy metals. They harbored dense but relatively simple bacterial communities dominated by Firmicutes, particularly Bacilli, with Proteobacteria and other phyla at lower abundances. Staphylococcus (Staphylococcaceae) was highly abundant in both products, while SBLB‐INTEC showed a somewhat more balanced community, including Delftia and other Comamonadaceae. Shannon diversity tended to be higher in SBLB‐INTEC, but differences in alpha‐ and beta‐diversity between formulations were not statistically significant. Because 16S data cannot distinguish viable from nonviable cells or resolve strain‐level pathogenicity, these results do not prove the absence of pathogens; instead, they provide a genus‐level baseline to guide targeted culture, qPCR, and functional assays. Overall, the combination of a favorable chemical profile and microbial groups commonly associated with nutrient cycling and plant‐associated functions suggests that SBLB‐INTEC could become a valuable component of integrated nutrient management in tropical agriculture, offering hope for a more sustainable future pending confirmatory plant‐response and biosafety studies. We recommend integrating these microbial data into a national biofertilizer monitoring framework, combining metagenomic surveys with targeted qPCR and resistance gene screening. 2026 en info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article https://doi.org/10.1155/ijm/3219583 International Journal of Microbiology International Journal of Microbiology urn:issn:1687-918X urn:issn:1687-9198 International Journal of Microbiology, 2026, vol. 2026, n. 1, p. 3219583 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess openAccess cc-by https://doi.org/10.1155/ijm/3219583 Q1 doaj pubmed Zero hunger Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SARGASSUM ARRIVING ON THE BEACHES OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 2015-2022 Tejada-Tejada, Pamela Liranzo-Gómez, Rolando Aquino, Laura Boluda, Carlos José Gómez, Bolivar Gómez, Aris Mendis Yaset Rodríguez-Rodríguez De Francisco, Luis E Rodríguez Jáuregui-Haza, Ulises Sargassum brown algae beach litter chemical characterization marine litter Dominican Republic seaweed coastal pollution 2023 info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.26258.02245 Regional Conference Greater Caribbean-EU on Sargassum Regional Conference Greater Caribbean-EU on Sargassum Regional Conference Greater Caribbean-EU on Sargassum, 2023 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess closedAccess Life below water Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal Microbiological and Biosecurity Assessment of Sargassum‐Based Liquid Biofertilizers Yaset Rodríguez-Rodríguez Edian F. Franco De Los Santos Ashley Marie Mejía-Disla Máximo Elías Reynoso-Ortega Gustavo Gandini Pamela Tejeda-Tejeda Miguel Ángel Guevara Carlos Willian Dias Dantas Rommel T. J. Ramos Ulises Javier Jáuregui-Haza liquid biofertilizer biosecurity microbiological safety heavy metals bacterial and archaeal communities phytotoxicity lettuce ecotoxicology soil fertility coastal agriculture Dominican Republic seaweed waste valorization Sargassum seaweed has inundated Caribbean coastlines, disrupting ecosystems while presenting opportunities for sustainable products like liquid biofertilizers. This study evaluated the microbiological and biosecurity profiles of two liquid biofertilizers produced in the Dominican Republic: Sargassum-based (SBLB-INTEC) and conventional (LB-BANELINO). Both exhibited essential minerals (K, Ca, Mg) and low heavy metal concentrations, meeting agricultural safety standards. Metagenomic analysis (16S rRNA) identified diverse bacterial and archaeal communities, mainly consisting of beneficial taxa such as Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Methanobacteria, with no detectable pathogens. Ecotoxicological assays with Lactuca sativa showed phytotoxicity at high concentrations, mitigated by dilution (≤6.25%) and pH adjustment (7.0), achieving germination indexes above 80%. These results suggest that Sargassum-based biofertilizers could be a viable alternative for enhancing soil fertility and promoting sustainable crop production, particularly in coastal agricultural systems where conventional fertilizers may be limited or environmentally harmful. Moreover, this study highlights the critical role of ecotoxicological testing in ensuring biofertilizer safety and underscores Sargassum’s potential as a renewable resource for sustainable farming. 2025 en info:eu-repo/semantics/preprint preprint https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202504.2450.v1 Preprints.org Preprints.org Preprints.org, 2025 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess openAccess cc-by https://www.preprints.org/frontend/manuscript/ffaf78dd8d9fba29628347b1f841f51f/download_pub Zero hunger Responsible consumption and production Clean water and sanitation Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal El origen de la variación de la energía libre asociada a la hidrólisis del ATP y la Enseñanza de la Bioquímica Carlos J. Boluda Nohely Sosa Camila Marranzini Pamela Tejada Roberto Bonnelly ATP hydrolysis Gibbs free energy bioenergetics ATP/ADP ratio 2018 info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article https://doi.org/10.22206/cac.2018.v1i1.pp39-44 Ciencia, Ambiente y Clima Ciencia, Ambiente y Clima urn:issn:2636-2317 urn:issn:2636-2333 Ciencia, Ambiente y Clima, 2018 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess openAccess cc-by-nc-sa https://revistas.intec.edu.do/index.php/cienacli/article/download/1268/1633 Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal Lead, chromium, nickel, copper and zinc levels in Sargassum species reached the coasts of Dominican Republic during 2019: A preliminary evaluation for the use of algal biomass as fertilizer and animal feeding Yaset Rodríguez-Rodríguez Luis Enrique Rodríguez de Francisco Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Basic and Environmental Sciences Area, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Pamela Tejada-Tejada Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Basic and Environmental Sciences Area, Dominican Republic Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Basic and Environmental Sciences Area, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Omar Paíno-Perdomo Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Basic and Environmental Sciences Area, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Carlos José Boluda Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC), Basic and Environmental Sciences Area, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Sargassum natans Sargassum fluitans heavy metals lead chromium nickel copper zinc cadmium algal biomass fertilizer safety feed safety bioaccumulation Las invasiones repetidas de Sargassum natans y Sargassum fluitans en las costas del Caribe durante los últimos años se han convertido en un problema de primer orden que amenaza al turismo, pesca y fauna local. Se esperan nuevas llegadas masivas de algas que podrían considerarse, en un futuro cercano, un evento normal, con su problemática asociada. Para resolver este problema resulta necesario encontrar soluciones apropiadas que aprovechen la biomasa algal. No obstante, debido a la conocida capacidad de estas algas para acumular metales pesados, las aplicaciones relacionadas con la alimentación animal y la agricultura deben ir precedidas necesariamente de un análisis químico que garantice la inocuidad de la biomasa. En esta investigación se determinaron las concentraciones de plomo (Pb), cromo (Cr), níquel (Ni), cobre (Cu), cadmio (Cd) y el zinc menos tóxico (Zn) en la biomasa de S. natans y S. fluitans que llegaron a las costas de República Dominicana durante 2019. Para ello se utilizó la técnica de espectroscopía de absorción atómica de llama (FAAS). Los resultados mostraron niveles significativos de cobre, aunque la concentración de todos los metales detectados estuvo dentro de los valores considerados normales, lo que refleja la seguridad del material algal, en lo que a estos metales se refiere, para su utilización como fertilizantes y alimentación animal. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en el contenido de estos elementos entre ambas especies. 2021 en info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article https://doi.org/10.24850/j-tyca-2021-03-04 Tecnología y ciencias del agua Tecnología y ciencias del agua urn:issn:0187-8336 urn:issn:2007-2422 Tecnología y ciencias del agua, 2021, vol. 12, n. 3, p. 124-163 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess openAccess cc-by-nc-sa http://revistatyca.org.mx/index.php/tyca/article/download/2619/2323 Q4 doaj Life below water Clean water and sanitation Zero hunger Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal Short-Term Trace Element Distribution Following Application of Sargassum-Based Liquid Biofertilizer in a Soil–Plant–Tomato Fruit System Yaset Rodríguez-Rodríguez Ulises Javier Jáuregui-Haza Máximo Elías Reynoso Ortega Pamela Tejada-Tejada Gustavo Gandini Luis Enrique Rodríguez de Francisco Sargassum liquid biofertilizer anaerobic fermentation trace elements heavy metals arsenic cadmium lead tomato soil macronutrients metal accumulation in plants 2026 info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15060901 Plants Plants urn:issn:2223-7747 Plants, 2026 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess openAccess cc-by https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/15/6/901/pdf Q1 doaj pubmed Zero hunger Responsible consumption and production Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal Quantification of heavy metals in Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans arrived to the coasts of Dominican Republic during 2019 2019 info:eu-repo/semantics/article journal-article cris:cris-998357a0 Caribbean Science and Innovation Meeting Caribbean Science and Innovation Meeting Caribbean Science and Innovation Meeting, 2019 Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo https://www.intec.edu.do/portal