19/01/2017

Química Analítica e Alimentos: Sustentabilidade e Diversidade na IUPAC 2017

Simpósio reúne 14 especialistas nacionais e estrangeiros

Professor Joaquim Nóbrega (UFSCar): "Os palestrantes foram selecionados de forma a contemplar os temas mais atuais da área e que, por isso, merecem destaque dentro do congresso da IUPAC."

Você sabe o teor de açúcar do seu chocolate predileto? A pureza da água que bebe? A qualidade do leite que toma? As respostas a essas e muitas outras perguntas que dizem respeito à saúde, ao ambiente e ao mundo material cabem à Química Analítica. No Congresso Mundial de Química (IUPAC 2017), que será realizado de 9 a 14 de julho, em São Paulo, o Simpósio de Química Analítica, organizado pelos professores Célio Pasquini (Unicamp) e Joaquim Nóbrega (UFSCar), focará a aplicação das ciências analíticas a questões cotidianas, com presença confirmada de 14 palestrantes brasileiros e estrangeiros.

"Para um mundo de 7,2 bilhões de habitantes e em crescimento, a produção e o consumo de alimentos são um aspecto crítico de nossa sustentabilidade e da sustentabilidade de nosso planeta. O Brasil é um dos maiores produtores de alimentos do mundo e é reconhecido como uma potência agrícola. Por outro lado, a química analítica é uma ciência com muitas interfaces e interações, sendo que a produção de alimentos e consequentes implicações ambientais são questões que demandam um aporte das ciências analíticas para uma melhor compreensão e gerenciamento", explica o Professor Pasquini.

O Professor Nóbrega complementa: "Os palestrantes foram selecionados de forma a contemplar os temas mais atuais da área e que, por isso, merecem destaque dentro do congresso da IUPAC. Para apresentar a o estado da arte e os desafios de cada uma dessas áreas, adotaram-se critérios puramente de mérito e destaque para eleger os pesquisadores internacionais e nacionais que certamente abrilhantarão este simpósio".

Um dos palestrantes keynote deste simpósio é o Professor Marcos Eberlin, da Unicamp. Ele trabalha com espectrometria de massas há 26 anos e desenvolveu diversos métodos analíticos para caracterização de alimentos. "A Química Analítica no Brasil tem muita qualidade. Mas infelizmente isso não se reflete nos órgãos reguladores e fiscalizadores, que pela inércia do sistema ainda utilizam métodos antigos, mais caros e menos eficientes", afirma. "Hoje a falsificação de azeite, cachaça e leite em pó, entre outros, é facilitada pela obsolescência dos órgãos fiscalizadores."

Assim como qualquer área da ciência a Química Analítica está em constante evolução. "Destaco as estratégias de microanálise, análise direta de sólidos, planejamento experimental e otimização de experimentos que possibilitam evoluir cada vez mais a análise de traços e que, de certa forma, possibilitam conhecer cada vez mais sobre cada vez menos", ressalta o Professor Nóbrega. "Pode-se notar ainda uma evolução das ciências analíticas na busca de maior compreensão sobre o comportamento de seres vivos (bioanalítica) e do meio ambiente (ciências ambientais)".

Para o Professor Pasquini, "uma fronteira em contínua expansão é a análise de especiação química, que possibilita conhecer as formas químicas de um analito em um determinado meio. Estender a Química Analítica ao monitoramento contínuo nas indústrias com o uso de técnicas multivariadas, redução de custos e a otimização de procedimentos e métodos no âmbito dos preceitos da Química Verde são também temas de fronteira".

Associados da SBQ terão condições especiais de inscrição na IUPAC 2017. O prazo para inscrição de trabalhos encerra-se em 3 de fevereiro e a submissão pode ser feita em http://www.iupac2017.org/abstract.php

Leia entrevista exclusiva concedida pelo palestrante keynote, Professor Frank Vanhaecke, diretor do Departamento de Química Analítica da Universidade de Ghent, na Bélgica:

Vanhaecke: "Espero que a comunidade química no Brasil continue a florescer apesar da redução orçamentária, e que esta tendência seja revertida."

Could you highlight the essence of your speech?
My presentation will be focused on isotopic analysis of metals by single-collector and multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry. Multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry is a dedicated tool for high-precision isotopic analysis. This technique offers an amazing isotope ratio precision – down to 0.001% relative standard deviation. This level of precision allows the natural variations in the isotopic composition that all elements with two or more isotopes display to be revealed and quantified. I will predominantly focus on applications based on isotopic analysis. While traditionally, most of such applications are situated in the field of geo- and cosmochemistry, I will rather discuss environmental and medical applications. Single-collector ICP-MS instruments are intended for trace element analysis, but can be used for isotopic analysis as well, although they provide a more modest isotope ratio precision only. Still, such instruments can be used for isotope ratio determination in less demanding contexts, e.g., for quantifying changes induced by the use of a stable isotopic tracer or for elements that are characterized by a pronounced natural variation in their isotopic composition.

What are, in your opinion, the current challenges to be solved by analytical chemists?
I might be biased, but I see a role for analytical chemistry and analytical chemists in every field of science. One of the best examples of the relevance of analytical chemistry is in materials sciences and technology. Without the capability to determine trace elements as contamination at very low levels, it would not be possible to manufacture the current small and powerful computer chips that have revolutionized our every-day life owing to their presence in our cell phones, tablets and computers. Also the medical science is increasingly relying on analytical measurements for diagnosis and for a better understanding of the functioning of the human body in sickness and health. The family of "omics" (e.g., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics) is a clear example of this trend. But in fact, practically every new development, every optimization and refinement and every new concept that is developed relies on measurements and therefore, the development of improved means for (chemical) analysis plays an often underestimated, but important role in science in general.

Is this your first visit to Brazil? What do you expect from the event?
Actually no, it is not my first visit. During the past couple of years, I have visited Brazil a couple of times. I have attended conferences like the Colloquium Spectroscopicum Internationale (CSI) in Buzios and the Brazilian Meeting on Chemical Speciation (EspeQ) in Curitiba, and have given presentations at several universities, at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina UFSC in Florianópolis, at Unicamp in Campinas, at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul UFRGS in Porto Alegre, at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais UFMG in Belo Horizonte and at the Federal University of Santa Maria UFSM in Santa Maria. Of course, during these trips, I also had a glimpse of the country and enjoyed the fabulous food that Brazil has to offer.

From a scientific point of view, I hope to convince at least part of the audience that isotopic analysis is not "weird science", but that it is an interesting approach that can provide useful information that can hardly be obtained via other methods. Perhaps, I can even inspire some people to enter this field. I also look forward to meet some Brazilian colleagues that I know since a considerable time and consider as friends. More specifically, I will discuss cooperation with some colleagues that involves a Brazilian PhD student and a postdoctoral researcher temporarily joining my research group in Ghent. Of course, I also expect to learn new things by attentively listening to the presentation of colleagues.

Brazil is currently facing a huge downsize on federal budget for scientific research. How important to any given country is it to have a healthy environment for research? What should be the best form of financing?
Decreasing funding for research is currently an issue in many countries. Moreover, when the available budget is decreasing, this is often accompanied by more attention for research that can be economically valorized immediately than for fundamental research. Although such applied research is without any doubt very important, it should be realized that it is not sustainable in the long run without fundamental studies. In an ideal scenario, I think it is important that research groups that have proven their quality are further funded, such that they can at least maintain and preferably further enhance the level they are working at. It is also important to give talented young researchers a chance to flourish. This has been the case in Brazil over the last ten years or so. I have seen quite a few motivated young researchers spending some time abroad as a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher to return back to a junior professor position in Brazil. It would be sad if this would no longer be possible.

How did your passion for chemistry arise?
Well, I would have to blame my secondary school chemistry teacher for this. As a secondary school pupil, I was interested in sciences in general. However, this specific teacher was very inspiring and provided us with a profound insight into chemical principles and concepts. He was also quite a character with a specific form of humor and was feared by some. At the end of secondary school, he asked me what my plans in terms of further study were. When he nodded supportively when I said chemistry, I felt very glad.

A message to the Brazilian chemical community.
It is always a pleasure to come over to Brazil. I enjoy the company of and discussions with both established colleagues and ambitious youngsters. The passion of the latter to make it is typically combined with a very friendly and open attitude. I hope that the Brazilian chemical community will keep on flourishing despite the reduction in budget that you have mentioned and that this decreasing trend in available funding can be turned. Finally, I look forward to meet and discuss often with my Brazilian colleagues on this and other conferences in Brazil and on other locations in the world.


Texto: Mario Henrique Viana (Assessoria de imprensa da SBQ)