In search of new chemical routes

By Dinorah Ereno

Fapesp – A young team with a good deal of experience and strong academic background is at the forefront of the main research lines at the chemical company Oxiteno, serving markets as diverse as cosmetics, industrial and household cleaning products, paints and coatings, agrochemicals, oil & gas, among other items. André Conde, 39, who has been with the company for 17 years, heads the national research and development (R&D) area. “I began as a trainee, and was then hired as a researcher,” says Condé, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of São Paulo (USP), a Master’s degree in chemistry from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) and an MBA from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV). Of the 1,600 employees at Oxiteno, 100 work in R&D. Every year, the company allocates about 1.5% of its sales, which last year were R$ 2.5 billion, to this sector.

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Source and Photo: FAPESP, October 2012
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Research study on bioethanol weighs alternatives for second generation biofuels

By Fernando Cunha
Agência FAPESP – Recent discoveries about plants that may be considered alternative and complementary to the production of second generation ethanol obtained from biomass were reported during the Japan-Brazil Symposium on Research Collaboration.
Organized jointly by FAPESP and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the event was held at Rikkyo University March 15-61, with support from the Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo.

Blocking insect digestion to control pests

By Fábio Reynol
Agência FAPESP – A number of diseases that affect humans, such as dengue fever, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, and diseases that affect pests that destroy crops, such as cotton, sugarcane and banana, share something in common: they are all caused by insects.

An extensive study carried out at the Universidade de São Paulo Chemistry Institute (IQ/USP) used a unique approach to gain knowledge about different insects, namely, investigating their intestinal function. The study opened up new pathways for innovative pest control methods.

Vitamin Enriched Cassava

By Evanildo da Silveira

FAPESP – Agricultural staples richer in vitamins and nutrients than those currently consumed, such as a cassava with 40 times more vitamin A than the typical one, for example, are now in the final phase of field testing at the Campinas Institute of Agronomy (IAC). In addition, varieties of eight food species – pumpkin, rice, sweet potatoes, beans, cowpeas (black-eyed peas), maize (corn), cassava and wheat – richer in iron and zinc and with greater resistance to disease and climate change are already on the market or in the final phase of development at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). This is a process known as food biofortification, carried out through classical breeding methods that seek to crossbreed different varieties, such as plants with disease resistance, a high yield and good nutritional characteristics with more vitamins and minerals. The work is slow and time consuming and may take 10 to 15 years.

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Source and Photo: FAPESP, October 2012
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Brazilian soybean biodiesel emits 70% less greenhouse gases than fossil diesel

Biomassa & Bioenergia – The Brazilian biodiesel produced from soybeans reduces emissions by 70%, at least compared to fossil diesel, when consumed within the country. If delivered for consumption in Europe, emits between 65% and 68% less greenhouse gases (GHG).
The conclusion of a new study commissioned by the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove), in partnership with the Association of Corn and Soybean Producers of Mato Grosso (APROSOJA / MT) and Brazilian Biodiesel Union and biokerosene (UBRABIO ). The survey was conducted by Delta CO2, a company incubated by EsalqTec, the College of Agriculture Luiz de Queiroz (Esalq / USP).

The use of ethanol as fuel in Brazil will complete a century

Embrapa Agroenergy – It has long been used fuel produced by microorganisms in Brazil. Ethanol was first used in Otto cycle engines, about 50 years before the launch of Proalcool. Historical records show that in 1925, a 4-cylinder car brand Ford participated in a race of 230 km in the city of Rio de Janeiro, using 70% ethyl alcohol as fuel. Image of this car is immortalized in the book commemorating 80 years of the creation of the National Institute of Technology and is reproduced in Figure 1. Subsequently, the INT was itself made possible the production of anhydrous ethanol for blending with gasoline, allowing editing of Decree 19717 of February 20, 1931, which required importers of gasoline to blend 5% ethanol to fossil fuel.

General information – Brazilian Agriculture, Bioenergy and Labex Korea activities

By Gilberto Silber Schmidt

Labex Korea prepared this page to disclose to their readers information of the Labex Korea activities, as well as technological advances of the Brazilian Agriculture and bioenergy production. The information takes the form of articles, documents and presentations (PDF) which can be accessed freely.

 

Click here to access the complete list of documents published since Labex Korea’s opening.

 

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SGB and Embrapa formalize strategic partnership in research to develop jatropha in Brazil

Biomassa & Bioenergia – GBS, Inc. (SG Biofuels) and Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) entered into a strategic research agreement to promote the development of jatropha as an alternative source of renewable energy in Brazil. Headquartered in San Diego, USA, GBS is an energy crop company that provides high-performance solutions for the markets of renewable energy, biomass and chemicals. It is a leader in its segment and offers the largest and most diverse library of genetic material of Jatropha in the world. The company has been working on this development for five years, combining platforms breeding and genomics.
“By aggregating our efforts for initiatives of an institution of the Brazilian Government

Oasis of grapes in the Northeast

FAPESP - A study by researchers from Embrapa Semiárido [a unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation], in Petrolina (Pernambuco State), and Embrapa Uva e Vinho [another Embrapa unit] in Bento Gonçalves (Rio Grande do Sul State), mapped out the areas in the Northeast of Brazil that have the most favorable climate for the irrigated growing of table grapes and wine grapes (Revista Brasileira de

Lab makes ethanol from whey

FAPESP – A new source of raw material for the production of ethanol is arising in the state of Rio Grande do Sul: whey. Every kilogram of cheese that is produced yields, on average, nine liters of whey, a whitish liquid that is 95% water, 4% lactose and 1% protein. For the food industries to use it in milky beverages and cookie fillings, it must be turned into a powder, which is expensive, especially for small producers. If it is not used for food, whey has to be treated as an industrial effluent to keep it from contaminating lakes and rivers.