Several solutions have been presented to minimize the environmental impact generated by polymers produced from petroleum resources. This work produced a biopolymer using glycerol, starch (<5) and macaúba epicarp fiber (10–15–20–25–30%) as reinforcement. The interaction of glycerol with starch was favored by the addition of acetic acid (CH₃COOH). The pH was adjusted with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at a concentration of 0.1 mol·L⁻¹. The characterization was carried out through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared reflectance—FTIR, water solubility, biodegradability and technological properties. Through the results obtained in this work, it is observed that the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity are influenced by the addition of the fiber concentration; the sample that received a 30% addition presented 19.17 MPa and 348.12 MPa, respectively. All samples showed low solubility in water and low density, in addition to a high rate of degradability in soil with mass loss corresponding to 59% over a period of three months. The results of this investigation are satisfactory for the production of materials that can be used in everyday life, replacing conventional plastic.

Closed pore glass foams with dimensions of 60mm × 20 mm × 20 mm were produced using agro-industrial residues. Samples containing sodo-calcic glass powder (78%wt) and rice husk ash (16%wt) were characterized, and their technological properties were investigated. The samples were synthesized in a conventional muffle furnace at 750–800–850 °C. The results presented for apparent density (0.24–0.29 g/cm³), compressive strength (1.5–2.3 MPa) and thermal conductivity (0.021–0.025 W/mK) meet the standards for commercial foam glasses. Low viscosity was achieved at all temperatures as a result of the addition of rice husk ash to the cell structure. X-ray fluorescence showed that the glass was silico-sodo-calcic type (SiO₂, Na₂O and CaO), and that the rice husk ash was rich in SiO₂ (as well as CaO, Na₂O, Al₂O₃, K₂O and Fe₂O₃). The mechanical strength and low thermal conduction of the material showed a good efficiency for use in civil construction as a thermal insulating material. Material made in this way has a lower production cost, and additionally transforms waste into co-products, generating added value, favoring consecutive circulation, as well as a clean and circular economy.

This study investigates the technological, thermal, mechanical, and technological properties of glass foams produced with soda-lime glass residues and rice husk ash sintered at 850–950 °C. The results for apparent density (0.28–0.30 g/cm³), porosity (82–87 ± 4%), compressive strength (1.18 ± 0.03–1.25 ± 0.03 MPa), and thermal conductivity (0.283–0.326 W/mK) are within the limits for commercial foams. The volumetric expansion potential and low thermal conductivity of the glass foams produced favor their use as thermal insulating materials in coat walls, thus improving thermal comfort in the construction sector. The results of X-ray fluorescence show that the foam glass is of the soda-lime type (SiO₂, Na₂O, and CaO), the rice husk ash is rich in SiO₂, CaO, Na₂O, Al₂O₃, K₂O and Fe₂O₃, and the calcium carbonate is rich in CaO. The glass foams produced in this study are promising because they present more economical and efficient manufacturing, resulting in lightweight materials with thermal insulating properties that can be used in the construction sector. These glass foams also reduce the consumption of natural and synthetic raw materials, adding value to the waste used in this study by transforming them into co-products, thus favoring the economic circulation of the region.

Agriculture is one of the economic activities with the most potential in Colombia, given its climatic and geographical conditions. Bean cultivation is classified as climbing, which grows in a branched way, and bushy, whose growth occurs up to 70 cm. The objective of this research was to study zinc and iron sulfates in different concentrations as fertilizers capable of increasing the nutritional value of kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), whose strategy is known as biofortification, and thus determine the most effective sulfate. The methodology details the sulfate formulations, their preparation, the application of additives, sampling and quantification methods of total iron, total zinc, °Brix, carotenoids, chlorophylls a, b, and antioxidant capacity using the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method in leaves and pods. As for the results, it was found that biofortification with iron sulfate and zinc sulfate is a strategy that favors the country’s economy and human health, because it allows the increase of minerals, antioxidant capacity and total soluble solids.

This study presents the analysis of the exergy load distribution in a separation process by extractive distillation for ethanol dehydration. The methodology carried out is divided into three parts: the calculation of the flow exergy considering the physical and chemical exergies of the distillation process; the calculation of the primary and transformed exergy contributions considering the consumed exergy; and finally, the overall process efficiency, which shows the real percentage of energy being used in the process. The simulation of an extractive distillation separation system is carried out using Aspen Plus^®, from Aspen Tech Version 9. In general, heat transfer processes (heating or cooling) are the ones that generate the greatest exegetic destruction, which is why they must be the operations that must be optimized. As a result of our case study, the local exergy efficiency of the extractive distillation column is 13.80%, which is the operation with the greatest energy loss, and the overall exergy efficiency of the separation system is 30.67%. Then, in order to increase exergy efficiency, a sensitivity analysis is performed with the variation of the azeotrope feed, number of stages, reflux ratio, and solvent feed variation on ethanol purity to reach an overall efficiency of 33.53%. The purity of ethanol is classified as higher than that of the specified, 99.65%.