Abstract This study aimed to produce soil-cement brick with wood ash incorporation coming from the textile industry. The wood ash was a partial substitute for soil and cement in the manufacture of bricks. 7 formulations were made with different proportions of substitution: 10%, 20%, and 30%. It was noticed that the substitution of cement by wood ash in 10% resulted in brick with enhanced properties, showing a 20% increase for compressive strength and a reduction of 44% for mass loss, thus, with higher durability and a reduction of water absorption of 3%, when comparing to the reference brick (soil-cement). It was shown that the reuse of wood ash in the production of soil-cement bricks is a viable and sustainable option, as it is an alternative for the destination of the waste and a reduction in the consumption of Portland cement, which generates a high volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) during its production.

ABSTRACT In this study, we have optimized production of bacterial cellulose (BC) by Komagataeibacter hansenii ATCC 23769 in a static cultivation using sisal juice, an agroindustrial residue, as substrate. Optimization of fermentation parameters has been carried out using the one-variable-at-a-time method. Effect of initial sugar concentration, pH, nitrogen supplement, and cultivation time was evaluated. The influence of nitrogen source and quantity for bacterial cellulose production was studied using a central composite rotational design (CCRD).The highest production of BC (3.38 g/L) was obtained after 10 days of cultivation, using sisal juice (pH 5) at 15 g/L of sugars and supplemented with 7.5 g/L of extract yeast. The cellulose production yield in selected sisal culture conditions was three times higher than the yield in synthetic medium, indicating that sisal juice is a suitable substrate for BC production.

No período de abril de 1992 a setembro de 1993, os adultos de Methona themisto (Hübn.) foram semanalmente marcados e recapturados em duas praças centrais de Uberlância (MG). Dos 637 indivíduos marcados nas duas praças, um terço era fêmea. Aproximadamente 10% dos indivíduos foram recapturados, sendo de 62 dias o máximo tempo de residência registrado. A presença da planta hospedeira das larvas (Brunfelsia uniflora, (Pohl) D. Don, Solanaceae) em uma das praças proporcionou maior abundância do lepidóptero ao longo da pesquisa, maiores porcentagens de indivíduos novos e maior freqüência de migrantes do que a outra praça pesquisada, que não continha a planta hospedeira. Methona themisto manteve-se ativa no estágio adulto durante todo o período de amostragem com sobreposição de gerações. Sua abundância em praças com ar poluído e flora exótica, vida adulta longa e tolerância à proximidade do homem, colocam M. themisto entre as espécies indicadas para ter suas condições de vida melhoradas em áreas centrais das cidades brasileiras. Simples práticas de manejo que beneficiam esse lepidóptero são sugeridas.

From April 1992 to September 1993 Methona themisto (Hübn.) adults were weekly marked and recaptured in two downtown plazas in Uberlândia, MG. Females accounted for a third of the 637 individuals marked. Nearly 10% of the butterflies were recaptured, with the maximum residence time of 62 days. The presence of the larval host plant (Brunfelsia uniflora (Pohl) D. Don, Solanaceae) in one of the plazas enhanced a higher abundance of the butterfly throughout the research and a higher proportion of new individuals, and frequency of migrants than the other plaza which lacked the host plant. Methona themisto adults were active through the sampling period with overlapping generations. Its abundance in plazas with polluted air and exotic flora, long adult life, and tolerance to humans in its vicinities place M. themisto among the ones indicated to have its life conditions improved in downtown areas of brazilian cities. Simple managing practices which benefit the lepitopteran are suggested.