Caracterización de la materia de construcción (Batumen), de los nidos de cuatro especies de abejas sin aguijón presentes en Norte de Santander, (Colombia).

Abstract

This work shows a characterization of the batumen (building material used by bees) from nests of four species of stingless bees: Melipona favosa favosa, Melipona compressipes, Melipona fuscipes and Partamona sp., located in the municipalities of Los Patios and Pamplonita (Norte de Santander), using analytical techniques such as: infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) / differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (FRX). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) allowed determining weight loss on samples. The percentage of moisture in all samples was ranging between 2 to 4%, and weight loss not associated with moisture ranged from 1.30% to 10.95%. With the technique differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) the presence of two peaks was found in all samples, the first one was found in a temperature range of 39.41 o C to 196.54 o C with an enthalpy variation of 220.13 ( J / g) at 396.6 (J / g). The second one was found in a temperature range of 195.78 o C to 804.22 o C with a change in enthalpy of 13272 (J / g) to 24613.66 (J / g). The X-ray diffraction (FRX) permitted the determination of the elemental composition. All samples have SiO2 (60.94% - 66.83%), Al2O3 (15.85% - 21.25%) and Fe2O3, 16% - 8.90%). The results of infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) confirmed the presence of inorganic compounds such as SiO2, Fe2O3, among others, and organic compounds such as alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, esters, acid halides, secondary amides and halogen compounds. The crystallinity was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). This technique showed that Quartz and muscovite were found in the batumen samples.