Valuable biomass conversion processes are highly dependent on the use of effective pretreatments for lignocellulose degradation and enzymes for saccharification. Among the nowadays available treatments, chemical delignification represents a promising alternative to physical-mechanical treatments. Banana is one of the most important fruit crops around the world. After harvesting, it generates large amounts of rachis, a lignocellulosic residue, that could be used for second generation ethanol production, via saccharification and fermentation. In the present study, eight chemical pretreatments for lignin degradation (organosolv based on organic solvents, sodium hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid, hydrogen peroxide, alkaline hydrogen peroxide, and some combinations thereof) have been tested on banana rachis and the effects evaluated in terms of lignin removal, material losses, and chemical composition of pretreated material. Pretreatment based on lignin oxidation have demonstrated to reach the highest delignification yield, also in terms of monosaccharides recovery. In fact, all the delignified samples were then saccharified with enzymes (cellulase and beta-glucosidase) and hydrolysis efficiency was evaluated in terms of final sugars recovery before fermentation. Analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) has been carried out on treated samples, in order to better understand the structural effects of delignification on lignocellulose. Active chlorine oxidations, hypochlorous acid in particular, were the best effective for lignin removal obtaining in the meanwhile the most promising cellulose-to-glucose conversion.

Essential oils of Cannabis sativa (cannabis) and Baccharis latifolia (chilca), were used as anti-inflammatory ingredients in an ointment for topical application. Different formulations designed based on these two essential oils were evaluated in-vivo to measure efficacy, using the feet swelling induction method in rats, and an over-the counter formulation with 1% diclofenac active ingredient was used as a positive control. The chemical evaluation of the two oils yielded the following main components, for chilca oil: liguloxide 14.02%, andro encecalinol 9.84%, kesane 7.53%, limonen 5.6% and Z-cadin-4-en-7-ol with 5.03%; while for cannabis essential oil: E-caryophyllene 27.91%, myrcene 21.19%, a-pinene 8.05%, a-humulene 8.03%, limonene 7.18%, terpinolene 7.12% and B-pinene 4.68%. The results of the research indicate that those formulas that combined two essential oils in the formulation at 1%, are the ones with the highest anti-inflammatory activity. Statistically, the significance is high in relation to the positive control in those whose oil composition is essential oil of cannabis 75% and chilca oil 25%; and essential oil of cannabis 50% and chilca oil 50%. The other formulas have activity, but this is similar to the commercial formula used as control. Based on the results, it is possible to propose both natural products as anti-inflammatories, and to foresee the design and commercialization of topical pharmaceutical drugs using these two essential oils.

Aquatic plants are a priority biological group to study due to their high representativeness in ecosystem services and because they also indicate the state of conservation of lake systems. The goal of the study is to develop an Index of Macrophytes from continental Ecuador (IMAE), which can also be applied in the Andean region as a bioindicator, thus assessing the ecological health of the continental lakes and lagoons from 12 to 4000 m, evaluating the structure and floristic composition of aquatic plants and identifying the habitat preferences of the species according to the concentration of nutrients (nitrites, phosphates and ammonium), as determining elements of their presence. 104 species of aquatic plants were found. The tolerance and indicator values have been calculated for each species meanwhile seven levels of coverage were established. Last, four classes of trophic status or water quality were defined to asses lentic systems. The present study will significantly strengthen the environmental control tools for Ecuador.

Los metales pesados presentes en aguas industriales de desecho constituyen un problema ambiental de gran magnitud en razón de su elevada toxicidad para los organismos vivos. La posibilidad de desarrollar métodos de remoción de estos contaminantes resulta particularmente atractiva al tomar como punto de partida el uso de materias primas de bajo costo, que de otra forma pueden ser consideradas como residuos sin utilidad. Dentro de esta categoría se hallan los desechos vegetales provenientes de actividades domésticas o agroindustriales. Bajo estos criterios se estudió la capacidad de biosorción de materiales celulósicos en función del pH y tiempo de biosorción, siendo el pH óptimo igual a 6,0 y determinándose la mayor tasa de sorción entre 15 y 30 minutos.Además mediante un estudio isotérmico se calculó la capacidad máxima del biosorbente (qmáx), siendo esta en condiciones óptimas de 182 mg plomo/g biosorbente. Todos los resultados se obtuvieron a 22o C.

Ilex guayusa Loes., known as guayusa, is a plant that has been used for generations by the indigenous peoples of the Ecuadorian Amazon for its medicinal properties, notably its stimulating effects. This bioactivity is primarily due to the presence of xanthine alkaloids such as caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. In this study, the concentration of each alkaloid was determined in thirty populations throughout the Amazon region, with data ranging from 2065.0 mg/100 g to 364.8 mg/100 g for caffeine; 225.8 mg/100 g and 74.6 mg/100 g for theobromine; and 4.9 mg/100 g and 1.5 mg/100 g for theophylline. A statistical analysis was conducted on twenty-four guayusa populations by integrating alkaloid concentrations with altitude, climatic, and soil variables. Caffeine showed high variability among populations and was only weakly associated with elevation, whereas theobromine and theophylline were determined primarily by climatic and soil factors. These results indicate that methylxanthine accumulation in Ilex guayusa is driven by the combined influence of climatic and edaphic conditions rather than by a single environmental factor.