Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a polymer obtained by fermentation with microorganism of different genera. Recently, new producer species have been discovered, which require identification of the most important variables affecting cellulose production. In this work, the influence of different carbon sources in BC production by a novel low pH-resistant strain Komagataeibacter medellinensis was established. The Hestrin-Schramm culture medium was used as a reference and was compared to other media comprising glucose, fructose, and sucrose, used as carbon sources at three concentrations (1, 2, and 3% w/v). The BC yield and dynamics of carbon consumption were determined at given fermentation times during cellulose production. While the carbon source did not influence the BC structural characteristics, different production levels were determined: glucose > sucrose > fructose. These results highlight considerations to improve BC industrial production and to establish the BC property space for applications in different fields.

Feeding a growing population under the pressures of climate change requires solutions that safeguard yields while strengthening agricultural resilience. Integrated Crop Management (ICM)—which combines precise fertilization, efficient water use, and targeted pest control—offers a promising framework. Hydrogels, with their water retention and controlled release properties, can enhance ICM by improving fertilizer efficiency, reducing water loss, and supporting soil health. Despite extensive research, their optimal use in agriculture remains unclear, and limitations continue to restrict large-scale adoption. To address this gap, this study applies the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology alongside bibliometric analysis to examine hydrogel applications in ICM from 2000 to 2024. Ninety Scopus-indexed publications were analyzed across four domains: pesticides, nutritional growth inputs, soil conditioners, and bioactive substances. The results reveal a marked increase in hydrogel structural complexity, greater diversity in characterization methods, ongoing reliance on high-impact pesticides despite advances in bio-based hydrogels, and persistent gaps in assessing environmental impacts and regulatory compliance. These findings underscore the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry to translate hydrogel research into effective, sustainable agricultural practices under changing climatic conditions.

The use of fertilizers coated with insoluble organic compounds is a promising approach for enhancing fertilizer efficiency and crop yield. Silk sericin (SS) is a protein with a high potential for the development of materials oriented toward fertilizer coating and soil amendment because of its biodegradability and the fact that it represents an important source of nitrogen for plants. Thus, this study proposes the design and evaluation of a novel SS-based multilayer coating for fertilizer granules. A pan-coating process was applied to form two distinct layers on the granules: an inner layer made of silk sericin/polyvinyl alcohol, SS/PVA (50/50 w/w), which has low solubility and porosity, and an outer hydrogel layer of SS/PVA with carboxymethyl cellulose CMC (SS/CMC/PVA 45/25/30 w/w/w). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for the morphological characterization of the coated fertilizer (CF), examining both the cross-section and surface, while SEM with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used to analyze the chemical composition of the surface. The ability of the coating to reduce the nutrient-release rate was studied using water- and soil-release tests. Furthermore, its performance was evaluated in in vivo assays using jalapeño bell pepper (Capsicum annum) plants. The results revealed that the structure and composition of the multilayer coating significantly influenced its ability to delay nutrient release in both water and soil. Moreover, the inclusion of SS in the coating potentially contributed to the increased nitrogen content in the soil, thereby improving plant growth rates.

Cada día se hace más imperiosa la necesidad de contar con ingenieros químicos, de procesos y profesiones afines que consideren en todas sus actividades la seguridad de procesos como un eje de su labor para que potencien el desarrollo de operaciones industriales o empresariales seguras que privilegien y maximicen la protección de todas las personas vinculadas a la organización, las comunidades adyacentes a la entidad y el medio ambiente. Esta necesidad aumenta en la medida en que se masifican nuevas tecnologías relacionadas con la cuarta revolución industrial y cuyos impactos sobre el campo de la seguridad de procesos aún se encuentran pendientes por descubrir. Esta necesidad de formación en temas de seguridad de procesos, para el caso de los ingenieros químicos, también ha sido motivo de interés para diversas entidades que incluyen los entes regulatorios en temas de educación o los sistemas de acreditación de programas académicos. Para abordar la formación en seguridad de procesos en los currículos de Ingeniería Química, de Procesos y profesiones afines, existen diversas estrategias. Algunas de ellas son: currículo embebido o diseminado, inclusión en el plan de estudios de un curso exclusivamente dedicado a la temática y una combinación de ambas alternativas. Independiente de la estrategia a seguir, es importante considerar cómo las herramientas virtuales pueden contribuir en el proceso de aprendizaje dentro o fuera del aula. En este trabajo se presenta el diseño de un Aula Virtual, empleando la plataforma Moodle, que apoya el modelo de currículo embebido para la formación y el aprendizaje de los futuros ingenieros químicos en temas de seguridad de procesos de la Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (Medellín – Colombia). Para ello se ha considerado, que esta herramienta no solo actúe como un repositorio de experiencias y metodologías de enseñanza y aprendizaje empleadas en los cursos ligados a la seguridad de procesos, sino que se busca facilitar el uso de alternativas de aprendizaje como la gamificación, aprendizaje basado en problemas o estudios de caso que a su vez motivan e impulsan el trabajo autónomo por parte de los estudiantes y les permita registrar sus avances, reforzar sus conocimientos e incluso, en el futuro, poder evidenciar a modo de portafolio, su conocimiento y experiencia en seguridad de procesos.