Panorama da indústria de fertilizantes em Alagoas e no Brasil: aspectos históricos, de processos, de controle de qualidade e ambientais

Abstract

One of the main and first known activities in the world is agriculture, it is through it that the first people could learn ways of survival, exploring firstly the land in which they lived and later neighboring lands. Over the years, it was necessary to improve these techniques and with the high population growth, the resources that were enough before became scarce. In order to meet the growing demand for these resources, especially of food, it was necessary to use substances that would supply this shortage, such as the use of fertilizers. They are applied to the soil to provide one or more nutrients essential for plant growth. Its production begins in mining and some oil derivatives and some byproducts. In its composition the main are nitrogen, phosphor, and potash, besides secondary elements like calcium, sulfur, zinc, manganese, copper among others. Even though the good results of researchers, recent estudies observe that there are still opportunities for improvement, because of losses in application, composition, raw materials, or productive process. It is very important reduction of the environmental impact, and also the participation in the international and national Market of fertilizers, due to imports and economic fluctuations, because the fertilizer’s price depends directly on the price of the international market. Therefore, this academic work aims to present the overview of the fertilizer industry in the state of Alagoas and Brazil, addressing points related to the history of agriculture, chemical processes and quality control, evolution and influence on the Brazilian economy and impacts on the environment.