Professor José Antonio Gallo and student Duvan Arley Pete Embus received the Best Poster Award at the 11th International Congress of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemical Engineering, held in Havana, Cuba, from November 4 to 8, 2024.

At the 11th International Congress of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemical Engineering in Havana, Cuba, two Unicauca minds were awarded, proudly representing the blue and red of our institution. Duvan Arley Pete Embus, a tenth-semester Chemistry student, and Professor José Antonio Gallo received the Best Poster Award.

 

 

Through an engaging visual presentation, the researchers summarized the development of a new methodology for producing an ecological bioabsorbent from the shell of Sacha Inchi seeds, a South American plant known for its high potential to remove lead from water and other heavy metals found in contaminated water systems.

“I am very happy because a great deal of effort goes into this research, and it’s a source of pride to know that, from the Chemistry program at the University of Cauca, we are generating science and innovation that we can present internationally,” said the awarded student, visibly emotional.

The idea for the research and poster came from a visit to the Sacha Tambo Cooperative in the municipality of El Tambo (Cauca), where the researchers were provided with Sacha Inchi seed shells. From this raw material, they successfully developed the mentioned bioabsorbent.

“We’ve been working for many years with different matrices to provide solutions for the removal of heavy metals in various bodies of water. In this case, we thought of working with Sacha Inchi and involving undergraduate students to focus their thesis work on such initiatives, which resulted in extremely important lead removal from contaminated water, but it also has applications for other heavy metals like chromium, cadmium, and mercury,” explained Professor José Antonio Gallo Corredor, a researcher in the Chemistry Department, coordinator of the Environmental Analytical Chemistry Research Group, and Duvan Pete's thesis advisor.

Finally, Duvan Arley and Professor José Antonio thanked the Chemistry Department, the Faculty of Natural, Exact, and Education Sciences, and the Vice-Rectory of Research for their financial support for travel and event registration. The award-winning student also encourages others to promote science and engage in research, stating, “It’s very important for these new generations to aim to positively impact the environment, which is currently the most pressing issue we’re facing.” As a University, we join this call to every member of our student community, as through research, we can achieve powerful exchanges of knowledge, establish professional connections, and experience internationalization while contributing to the protection, development, and progress of our region. Congratulations to these talented Unicaucanos!

Written by: Communication Management Center