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This research evaluated the possible use of tropical hardwood species (Myrocarpus frondosus and Ocotea porosa) for grilling plank production. Physical, chemical, and organoleptic properties were evaluated and compared with properties of a well-used wood species for grilling planks, western red cedar (Thuja plicata). For chemical analysis, one technique was used: hydrodistillation. Normality tests and analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used for the comparisons between Thuja plicata and tropical hardwoods. The results of the organoleptic, chemical, and statistical analyses demonstrated the possibility of using Myrocarpus frondosus and Ocotea porosa in grilling plank production.

The world experienced several economic, social and environmental transformations during the COVID-19 pandemic, and today, society assesses all these changes in the different stages of the pandemic process. In this sense, this research aimed to evaluate the educational and environmental impacts on the academic community of the largest educational institution in the Brazilian Amazon. The perception of the quality of teaching of undergraduate and graduate engineering students during remote teaching was assessed by means of an exploratory research work carried out at the Federal University of Pará (Brazil). Ecological and carbon footprint indicators were also measured through the Global Footprint Network®. In social terms, students pointed to a reduction in the quality of teaching. Despite the incentives through institutional initiatives for both students and professors, the community was not prepared to fully migrate to the virtual world, and that made the teaching–learning process difficult. In environmental terms, the reduction in the ecological footprint that was observed could have reached values higher than those that were found, to the order of 2.33%, with the mobility sector achieving the greatest reduction.

This research examined the influence of the compositions between coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera) and wood particles (Pinus taeda L. and Eucalyptus saligna) on physico-mechanical properties of homogeneous particleboards. The exploratory study was carried out under Tukey’s contrast test of means, at 5% significance level, with the following compositions: 100% coconut fiber (F100 P0 E0); 50% coconut fiber, 25% pine particles, and 25% eucalyptus particles (F50 P25 E25); and 50% of pine particles and 50% of eucalyptus particles (F0 P50 E50), with particle moisture content between 0% to 2% and 10%, in mass, of polyurethane-castor oil (PU-Castor) resin. Three panels were produced for each composition. The physico-mechanical properties such as density, moisture content, swelling in thickness after 24 h of immersion in water, perpendicular tensile strength, static bending strength, and modulus of elasticity were evaluated using standard methods. The results obtained indicated the potential for using coconut fiber for the production of homogeneous particleboards in view of the minimum criteria required by the normative documents, with emphasis on the physical property of swelling after 24 hours, which obtained a statistically equivalent average relative to the treatment that contained only wood particles.

The objective of this research is to evaluate the possibility of use of tropical hardwood species (Amburana cearensis and Cedrella fissilis) for grilling plank production. Physical, chemical and organoleptic properties were evaluated and compared with properties of a well-used wood specie for grilling plank across Europe and USA, Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata). For chemical analysis, three techniques were used: hydro distillation, soxhlet and head space. Normality test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for the comparison between Thuja plicata and tropical hardwoods. The results of organoleptic, chemical and statistical analysis demonstrated the possibility of use of Amburana cearensis and Cedrella fissilis on grilling plank production, with no volatile compound present in these species being toxic, low apparent density and Nerolidol presence, chemical compound used as flavoring agent, enabling their use as grilling planks.