Chemistry In Brazil Research Articles

EXPLORING THE CAREER AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF JOSÉ RIBAMAR: AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF CFQ

Background: The interview with Professor José de Ribamar, conducted by Luís de Boni, addresses various aspects of his career and contributions to chemistry in Brazil. The conversation includes his experiences in teaching, research, and university administration, as well as his role as President of the Federal Council of Chemistry (CFQ). Aims: The primary aim of the interview is to highlight Professor Ribamar's achievements and challenges throughout his career, and to explore his views on chemistry and its impact on scientific and educational development in Brazil. Methods: The interview was conducted in a question-and-answer format, allowing Professor Ribamar to share his experiences and insights in a detailed and personal manner. The interview was recorded, transcribed, and is available in both text and video formats. Results: Professor Ribamar detailed his academic and professional journey, including his undergraduate and graduate studies in chemistry, his contributions as a professor at the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), and his initiatives as a course coordinator and department head. He also discussed the impact of his research and his vision for the future of chemistry, emphasizing the importance of artificial intelligence and algorithms in predicting chemical models. Discussion: The interview provided a comprehensive overview of Professor Ribamar's contributions to chemistry in Brazil. He emphasized the importance of education and ongoing research for scientific advancement, as well as the need to adapt to new technologies. The discussion also addressed the challenges the scientific community faces and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Conclusion: Professor José Ribamar has significantly promoted and developed chemistry in Brazil in academia and public administration. His career illustrates the importance of dedication to education and research, and his reflections offer valuable lessons for future generations of scientists and educators. The interview serves as a testament to his lasting impact on the scientific community.

Country names in journal titles: shaping researchers’ perception of journals quality

Numerous academic journals incorporate geographic names, including countries and regions, in their titles. This practice is not uniform, as some journals opt to internationalise by omitting these affiliations. To gauge the impact of country names in journal titles on researchers' perceptions of journal quality, 408 researchers in sociology, psychology, environmental sciences, and physical chemistry in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Nigeria, and the USA were surveyed. The study reveals that most researchers believe that a journal's association with a specific country influences their perception of its quality (74.6%) and international readership (76.8%). Consequently, researchers tend to avoid journals with country-specific titles, suspecting limited readership or a predominant focus on papers from that country. However, exceptions exist, primarily in terms of perception, especially for American journals, which are often perceived as indistinguishable from mainstream international journals. Disciplinary variations emerge, with subject matter influencing perceptions. Subjects such as sociology, closely tied to local and national issues, exhibit a more (compared to e.g., chemistry) significant tendency toward recognising national journals. The inclusion of the term "international" in journal titles elicits mixed opinions, with some associating it with low quality or predatory journals, a perception that stems from the proliferation of predatory journals in some Asian and African countries. This study offers insight into researchers’ preferences and underscores the important role of journal titles in shaping researchers' perceptions of journals’ scope, quality and readership. In a challenging metric-driven research and publishing landscape, it is important to strike a balance between internationalisation and fostering diversity in scholarly journal publishing.

BrJAC 2023 – Growing and Building Bridges

BrJAC 2023 – Growing and Building Bridges

Absolute configuration assignment of marine natural products in Brazil

Brazil is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with a coastline that stretches over 7,000 km including various marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds, among other habitats. These diverse environments provide a rich source of compounds, derived from primary or secondary metabolism, which may have countless biological activities. Research on marine natural products (MNP) in Brazil has been ongoing for several decades and led to the discovery of numerous bioactive compounds with potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and cosmetics. These MNP are structurally complex, both from an architectural and stereochemical point of view. However, even with all the well-established techniques for the absolute configuration (AC) assignment, this stage of structural characterization of natural products is still under-explored and remains a challenge. This review presents an overview of natural product chemistry in Brazil, focusing on the stereochemical assignment of marine chiral compounds. The main goals are to describe the techniques employed in the assignments as well as to highlight the importance of choosing the appropriate methods for chiral natural products AC determinations.

ACS and SBQ present the 2023 Brazilian Women in Chemistry Awards

The American Chemical Society and Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ) have awarded the 2023 Brazilian Women in Chemistry Award to three women scientists in Brazil: Joyce Kelly da Silva of the Federal University of Pará, Evelin Andrade Manoel of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and Aline Machado de Castro of Petrobras. The awards are sponsored by CAS, a division of ACS, as well as ACS Publications. The purpose of the awards is to promote gender equality in chemistry in Brazil and advance understanding of the impact of diversity on scientific research and the field of chemistry. Da Silva is the winner in the emerging leader category. This award recognizes the achievements of a remarkable young scientist or entrepreneur in chemistry. Her research focuses on the chemical composition and biological properties of essential oils from plants in the Amazon, the volatile compounds produced by plants during ecological interactions, and the

Professor Rodinei Augusti, an enthusiast for the progress of chemistry in Brazil, kindly spoke to BrJAC

Rodinei Augusti holds a degree in chemistry (1986), a master’s degree in chemistry (1990), and a doctorate in chemistry (1993), all from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP, Brazil. Currently, he is a full professor in the Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. He conducts research on the application of mass spectrometry in several areas, such as monitoring reactions of environmental interest and quality control of alcoholic beverages. Prof. Augusti is an advisor to the following journals: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, Journal of Mass Spectrometry, Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, Analyst (London), Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, and Quimica Nova.

Challenges and successes: online and inclusive teaching of green chemistry in Brazil in the time of covid-19

The year 2020 was marked by the beginning of the intense journey against Covid-19, which brought strong impacts to Brazilian education. In view of this, the educational system began to adapt to the “new normal” and, with this, problems arose in adapting to virtual education, especially in the scope of School Inclusion (SI) of the deaf public, since social distancing requires significant attention in the use of aspects of communication and online technologies. These difficulties were more prominent, especially in the discipline of Chemistry, which is not detached from experimentation. Thus, the research demonstrates the need for better approaches to SI in Emergency Remote Education (ERE), especially in Chemistry contextualized to Environmental Education (EE). This work aims to adopt Active Methodologies (AM) and it is justified in offering activities aimed at the interassociations between Chemistry and EE, through the Case Study (CS) method. These actions addressed the principles of Green Chemistry (GC) and the 6th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on drinking water and sanitation. The development of the work occurred remotely in an inclusive class. The results of the research demonstrated the importance of using inclusive methodologies that favor the construction of effective knowledge and enable the exchange of knowledge in a bilingual and accessible environment. Thus, the adaptation or development of new didactic methodologies can change the reality of Brazilian education.

In Memoriam - BrJAC mourns the death of Prof. Dr. Carol Hollingworth Collins and recognizes her great contribution to the Analytical Chemistry in Brazil

Professor Carol Collins graduated in Chemistry from Bates College (1952) and obtained her PhD in Organic Physical Chemistry from Iowa State University of Science and Technology (1958), when she was introduced to the recently developed gas–liquid chromatography. She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin and later worked on radiochemistry and nuclear medicine at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Western New York Nuclear Research Center in Louvain (Belgium) and Southwest Asia. Professor Collins came to the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) with her husband, Kenneth Collins, in July 1974, during the university’s first decade, and played a leading role in consolidation of the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp and in the growth of chemistry and analytical chemistry in Brazil. Her first line of research in Brazil was radioanalytical chemistry, later focusing on chromatographic techniques, initially applied to the products of radiochemical reactions and radiation chemistry. Subsequently, her attention was directed to the preparation of stationary phases for liquid chromatography. She gained remarkable achievement in the area of chromatography that allowed her to publish two books that are very popular in Brazil: "Introduction to Chromatographic Methods" (1987) and "Fundamentals of Chromatography" (2006). Her scientific and technological contributions have been recognized through several awards, including the “Marie Curie Award” from the American Association of University Women and the “Simão Mathias Medal” from the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ). She also received honors in recognition of the contributions of Unicamp's 40th anniversary, SBQ's 30th anniversary, a tribute from the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, the National Meeting of Analytical Chemistry, the School of Separations and the Brazilian Symposium on Chromatography and Related Techniques (SIMCRO) Medal. For her outstanding performance and leadership in the creation and consolidation of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Brazilian Chemical Society, her name was recognized in the Carol Collins Medal given to each National Meeting of Analytical Chemistry since the 2018 edition. Professor Collins was also a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of São Paulo, and received the title of Professor Emerita of Unicamp on 14 May 2012, in addition to being Emeritus Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Apart from her scientific competence, some characteristics shaped her personality and made her very popular among her colleagues and students: her vast gourmet knowledge, keen taste for caipirinha and coffee, infallible memory, great love for her work and for Brazil, dedication to science, analytical chemistry/chromatography, kindness as a person and her incessant search for justice. She was always receptive to clarifying the doubts of students, teachers and interested parties, which she did with great pleasure, characteristic of those who like to teach and transmit knowledge. The contributions of Professor Collins to the training of human resources, the consolidation and development of the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp and the analytical chemistry/chromatography sector in Brazil and abroad are immeasurable. Her brilliant trajectory will leave a huge legacy that is difficult to measure and she will remain forever in the memory of those who were fortunate enough to live with her.

Patents, what are they good for? Academic chemistry researcher’s perceptions of patents and their importance

This paper asks the following questions: What are the patent reading and consulting habits of Brazilian chemistry researchers and how does this affect their approach to using/applying patents in their research? A total of 421 researchers were canvassed regarding their patent reading habits and only a minority (42.8%) consult patents. Of these, 92.2% consider patents as relevant sources of information, with 95% already benefiting from patents. However, researchers criticize the content and/or technical details in patents. The majority of canvassed researchers (78.3%) encourage students to use patent databases and/or deposit patents. However, most researchers prefer to publish articles, which provide greater visibility. Where appropriate, individual comments are included, providing insight into their opinions regarding patents.

José Luís Fontes da Costa Lima – An example to be followed

I am very sad to communicate the death of the Emeritus Professor José Luís Fontes da Costa Lima, a leading chemist who made significant contributions to the development of Analytical Chemistry in Brazil. He graduated in Chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, in 1970. After that, he spent 9 years at the service of Portugal in Africa. In 1985, he concluded the doctoral program in Chemistry, specialty Analytical Chemistry, being approved with distinction and praise. At the beginning of his scientific career, Prof. Costa Lima experienced important moments when, together with colleagues from Barcelona, proposed a flow-through sandwich PVC matrix membrane electrode for flow injection analysis and, in collaboration with renowned scientists from Wales, UK, proposed an ion-selective electrode without an inner reference solution.

New Trends in Analytical Chemistry for the Examination and Interpretation of Traces of Crimes

Forensic sciences are generally described as the application of the scientific method to the analysis of traces in order to identify the authorship and materiality of a crime . Forensic scientists evaluate different types of materials, and the type of scientific method and techniques employed depend on the questions to be answered within a given context . Forensic chemistry is one of the most far-reaching areas within the forensic science field. With the increase in technology and the development of analytical techniques, chemistry has been used more and more to elucidate legal controversies. Therefore, knowledge in chemistry is indispensable to solve crimes. In this letter, the applications of analytical chemistry will be discussed within emerging forensic themes: the determination of the origin of seized drugs (chemical profiling), the investigation of document fraud, and the valuation analysis of pieces of art. Chemical profiling consists of a series of chemical analyses that provide the concentration of the components present in the seized drugs, present as major or minor components, or event those present only in trace levels. Using different analytical methods, complex chemical profiles are obtained for each drug sample analyzed, giving these samples a chemical “signature” based on the presence of impurities of natural origin. and added diluents/adulterants. Therefore, such studies generate relevant data that make it possible to establish connections between samples and materials of different seizures, classifying them into chemically correlated groups. Through these connections, it is possible to establish specific links among suppliers, drug dealers, and users, designing distribution network patterns and providing subsidies for the identification of the origin of the drug, including its geographical origin. Another striking forensic application of analytical chemistry is age determination and the authenticity of papers and inks. Once an ink is deposited on a support (paper), it is exposed to air, light, and moisture, and the following physical–chemical processes occur: coloration degradation, solvent evaporation, and hardening (polymerization) of the resins. These processes have been used in the complex task of determining the absolute or relative (comparative) age of manuscripts on paper. The largest number of publications refer to ballpoint pen inks. Ezcurra and collaborators published a comprehensive review on the dating of paints by modern instrument writers. Analytical paint dating exams essentially consist of quantifying how paint components vary over time. Last but not least, the authentication of pieces of art used as a tool to fight crime is a recent area of activity of analytical chemistry in Brazil. Operation Lava Jato shed light on the possibility that criminal use of the art market is a widespread method among agents of corruption and that it is much more complex and structured than previously thought. It is up to criminal experts to determine the authenticity of a piece of art. In general, the analytical investigations are guided by the identification and quantification of substances used in the production of the art piece, using non-destructive methodologies, such as Raman spectroscopy.

AVALIAÇÃO DOS CIENTISTAS: UTILIZAMOS AS MÉTRICAS CORRETAS?

SCIENTISTS’ ASSESSMENT: ARE WE USING THE CORRECT METRICS? The use of metrics to evaluate scientists is widespread in the present time, with implications for hiring, fellowships, and research grants. Such fact requires that metrics must be constantly scrutinized to be improved. This work analyzes the use of metrics in the area of chemistry in Brazil and discusses its limitations and shortcomings. The main findings indicate that the use of the impact factor must be complemented by the cited half-life of the journals, and a composite metric named influence factor is proposed, similar to the R-impact. The h-index is not a good metric anymore because does not correct for authorship inflation. The individual h-index (hi), which takes into account fractional counting of citations, is more reliable than the h-index. An analysis on the use of hi-index with randomly selected 15 Brazilian chemists among the top 500 more productive shows an important effect on the ranking order.

Impact Assessment of an Affirmative Action to Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect in Brazilian Chemistry during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In December 2019, the institutional affirmative action “Onde elas estão?” (“Where are they?”) was launched for the mitigation of gender inequality in the STEM disciplines in Brazil, coincidentally in the same period which the first reports of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in the city of Wuhan, China. Unfortunately, when evaluating the initiative through different approaches belonging to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) theories, the presence of implicit biases and the invisibility of underrepresented minorities was observed. Approximately 77.5% of the female scientists participating in the initiative were white and belonging to the wealthiest regions (75%) and with the greatest contribution to Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On the other hand, Black, Indigenous, and Asian female chemists were not identified, nor were female chemists belonging to the North Region (Brazilian Amazon Region). The DEIR practice “Onde elas estão?” has an important role in the dissemination of highly qualified Brazilian female chemists and provides an important source of engagement and sense of community for future generations of female students to avoid abandoning STEM subjects. However, adjustments are needed that take into account greater Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Respect.

Correlation of the english language proficiency of brazilian chemistry researchers with their scientific publications

English is the most used language for publishing scientific studies, which can be an obstacle for non-fluent researchers. This paper analyzed the self-assesments (speaking, reading, listening and writing in English) in curricula of researchers working in Postgraduate Programs in Chemistry stricto sensu in Brazil. Information on the researchers' scientific production was obtained from the Lattes Platform. A total of 24 programs were evaluated with grade 4 from Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), 10 with grade 7 and 337 researchers. Most consider themselves to have a good command of English, with the best assessment for reading. Researchers were characterized as fluent/non-fluent based on their evaluations for reading and writing. Articles in English were published, mostly, by those who read/write fluently. These researchers have the highest averages in relation to citations and h-index.

JOANA D’ARC FÉLIX DE SOUSA

Born in the interior of São Paulo and of poor social background, Joana D’arc graduated in Chemistry from the Campinas State University (UNICAMP) in 1986. She became a Master of Chemistry in 1990 and a Doctor of Science in 1994, also from UNICAMP. Currently, Dr. Joana works with tannery residues from the leather-footwear sector, interest that arised from a problem she had in her hometown where her father worked in a tannery and had difficulties in treating such residues. From this residues, the Brazilian scientist developed several technologies that are being transferred to the industry. Her researches, of great scientific and social relevance, earned several awards and consecrated her in one of the biggest names in Chemistry in Brazil.

Chemistry in Brazil

Brazil is suffering. In recent weeks, the total number of COVID-19 infections and daily confirmed cases has become the second highest in the world, after the US. Brazil has recorded more than 75,00...

Conhecimentos sociais e científicos na primeira infância: um relato de prática docente no contexto da sala de aula

O presente artigo traz um relato de experiência de um projeto realizado com alunos da educação infantil de uma escola em Niterói (RJ), a partir do curso de formação continuada para professores, promovido pela Associação Brasileira de Química (ABQ) e a prefeitura de Niterói. Neste projeto buscou-se promover o ensino de Ciências para as crianças correlacionando a alfabetização científica a partir de temas ambientais. Para tal, o desenvolvimento das atividades ocorreu em três momentos, em que foram utilizados recursos lúdicos diversos buscando contribuir na construção de conhecimentos e senso crítico destas crianças. Os resultados apontam possibilidades de se unir ensino de Ciências e formação cidadã na educação infantil promovido por recursos lúdicos, favorecendo a interação dos mesmos nas atividades, bem como uma percepção sobre suas responsabilidades e cuidados com o meio ambiente ainda na infância.

ACS engages with the Brazilian chemistry community

Scientific research and collaboration knows no borders. In May, during the 42nd meeting of the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ), ACS members met with members of the SBQ to discuss areas of potential collaboration. “Chemistry is a global enterprise, and having a global presence through partnerships that support our thousands of international ACS members and affiliates is one of our strategies to improve the member experience and influence worldwide,” said ACS immediate past president Peter Dorhout. “The SBQ is an important partner society that shares many of our common goals around promoting the chemical enterprise, educating the next generation of chemical practitioners, and connecting with the public about chemistry.” Norberto Lopes, president of the SBQ and a chemistry professor at the University of São Paulo in Ribeirão Prêto, hosted the ACS delegation in Joinvile and was central in identifying new areas in which ACS and the SBQ could work together. “It

Reflexões sobre o ensino tradicionalista de Química e uma comparação entre as ferramentas de ensino: visita técnica e softwares de simulação interativa

O ensino de Química no Brasil ainda enfrenta diversos problemas quanto a aprendizagem dessa disciplina e as complicações que a falta de um ambiente laboratorial causa aos alunos. De fato, o ensino tradicionalista permanece majoritário dentro das escolas públicas e segue causando uma dificuldade visível na maioria dos alunos por não deixar clara a verdadeira lição que a Química traz para o indivíduo social. Deste modo, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo fazer uma reflexão acerca das dificuldades de aprendizagem no ensino de química e a comparação entre duas alternativas pedagógicas de ensino: Visita Técnica e Softwares de Simulação Interativa. Foi realizado um levantamento de 10 artigos que prática docente tradicional e de as novas metodologias mais utilizadas nos últimos 4 anos. Foram seguidas quatro etapas básicas para a escolha dos trabalhos segundo o método de estudo exploratório proposto por Antônio Carlos Gil, em seu livro “Como elaborar projetos de pesquisa”. A partir disto, pode-se notar a quase ineficácia do sistema tradicional de aula, onde o professor utiliza apenas os recursos de fala, pincel e lousa, visto que uma quantidade significativa de estudantes considera a química uma ciência matemática e enfadonha. A visita técnica possibilita uma visão nova de conceitos químicos aplicados ao cotidiano da sociedade, gerando assim, interesse em conhecer e se apropriar de conhecimentos ligados a desenvolvimento industrial. Com o uso de softwares interativos, os alunos puderam ter uma noção de fenômenos do mundo microscópico e assimilaram melhor os conteúdos, criando assim um elo entre a teoria e a prática, tudo isso de forma simples e lúdica. Com isso, este trabalho deixa evidente que a melhora de rendimento dos alunos e da qualidade do processo ensino-aprendizagem só irá ocorrer com a aplicação de novas metodologias como estas, que possibilitaram um completo desenvolvimento das capacidades de abstração e correspondência da química com o cotidiano de cada indivíduo.

Natural Products from Marine Invertebrates and Microorganisms in Brazil between 2004 and 2017: Still the Challenges, More Rewards

The Brazilian marine biodiversity represents a unique, yet underexplored resource of biologically active compounds. This review provides an analysis of the development of marine natural products chemistry in Brazil within the period comprised between 2004 and 2017. Emphasis is directed towards marine invertebrate and marine microorganisms metabolites, including isolation, structure analysis, biosynthesis, bioactivities and total synthesis. An overview of the research on marine natural products by Brazilian researchers is also discussed, as well as perspectives for the development of the chemistry of marine natural products in Brazil.