Ciencia e Ingeniería

This collection brings together research at the intersection of basic sciences, engineering, sustainability, and technological innovation, addressing environmental, industrial, and social challenges through interdisciplinary approaches. The studies examine zooplankton composition, biomass, and diversity in Macuro Inlet, Venezuela, as well as the occurrence and characteristics of macro-, meso-, and microplastics on an urban beach in Recife, Brazil. In the industrial sphere, one contribution assesses circular economy performance in a Colombian steel plant and identifies opportunities to improve resource use, maintenance practices, and by-product management. Another explores how the ancestral knowledge of Indigenous communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta can inform sustainability strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises. The collection also presents a low-cost prototype combining blockchain and Internet of Things technologies to enhance part traceability and production monitoring in manufacturing environments.