The contamination caused by plastic is an environmental problem due to its high production and inadequate final disposal. Besides, plastic has low or null biodegradation capacity, which poses an alarming issue. So, looking for new income to produce plastics such as films is necessary for some applications. This study aimed to produce and characterize biodegradable films using gelatin, cellulose, glycerol, and Furan-Phenol Conjugates (FPC) from thermally modified Agave vinasses (concentrated in furans, phenols, and sugars). Conjugates were added in 1, 2, and 3% to produce gelatin-cellulose films. Chemical characterization using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mechanical properties were measured by texturing equipment, thermal capacity with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and morphological characterization was used by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). The biodegradability of films was determined by weight loss. The films showed characteristic peaks for phenolic compounds and furans such as 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-HMF), respectively, with signals at 2930 cm-1 and 1648 cm-1. Mechanical tests indicated that adding FPC improved the mechanical properties of the films. Besides, they increased the melting temperature in all samples. After 30 days of soil burial test, the films showed a weight loss of 95.1% for FPC-1, 87.9% for FPC-2, and 82.73% for FPC-3. Using residual waste as vinasses as an improver of the properties of biodegradable films could be the first step toward a circular economy for residues from distilleries.

Conventional soil management in agricultural areas may expose non-target organisms living nearby to several types of contaminants. In this study, the effects of soil management in extensive pasture (EP), intensive pasture (IP), and sugarcane crops (C) were evaluated in a realistic-field-scale study. Thirteen aquatic mesocosms embedded in EP, IP, and C treatments were monitored over 392 days. The recommended management for each of the areas was simulated, such as tillage, fertilizer, pesticides (i.e. 2,4-D, fipronil) and vinasse application, and cattle pasture. To access the potential toxic effects that the different steps of soil management in these areas may cause, the cladoceran Ceriophania silvestrii was used as aquatic bioindicator, the dicot Eruca sativa as phytotoxicity bioindicator in water, and the dipteran Chironomus sancticaroli as sediment bioindicator. Generalized linear mixed models were used to identify differences between the treatments. Low concentrations of 2,4-D (<97 mu g L-1) and fipronil (<0.21 mu g L-1) in water were able to alter fecundity, female survival, and the intrinsic rate of population increase of C. silvestrii in IP and C treatments. Similarly, the dicot E. sativa had germination, shoot and root growth affected mainly by 2,4-D concentrations in the water. For C. sancticarolli, larval development was affected by the presence of fipronil (<402.6 ng g(-1)). The acidic pH (below 5) reduced the fecundity and female survival of C. silvestrii and affected the germination and growth of E. sativa. Fecundity and female survival of C. silvestrii decrease in the presence of phosphorus-containing elements. The outcomes of this study may improve our understanding of the consequences of exposure of freshwater biota to complex stressors in an environment that is rapidly and constantly changing.