UNAM launches Es-Pumita soap made from used cooking oil

UNAM Es-Pumita used cooking oil biodegradable soap green chemistry

Students and researcher Alejandra Chávez Riveros at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have developed Es‑Pumita, a biodegradable liquid soap created from used cooking oil collected from campus cafeterias. The team gathers about 20 liters of oil each week, filters and cleans it, then saponifies the oil with caustic soda or potassium hydroxide. The process yields six to ten liters of soap per batch, whose active ingredient is the fatty‑acid salts produced by saponification, complemented by glycerin, EDTA, vitamin E and essences, giving the product high biodegradability.

Es‑Pumita is currently used as a pilot in the restrooms of Campus II of the Faculty of Higher Studies Zaragoza (FES‑Zaragoza). The project aims to expand the soap’s use to Campus I and eventually other university facilities, reducing the risk that a single liter of discarded oil could contaminate up to 40 000 liters of water and cause drainage blockages. The soap is trademark‑registered and presented as a practical example of green chemistry and circular economy.

Entities

Agustín Reyo Herrera · Alejandra Chávez Riveros · Es‑Pumita · Faculty of Higher Studies Zaragoza (FES Zaragoza) · Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) · nutrient‑rich beer

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Es‑Pumita soap is made from used cooking oil collected from campus cafeterias. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] One liter of improperly discarded oil can contaminate up to 40 000 liters of water. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] Es‑Pumita uses fatty‑acid salts obtained by saponification as the active ingredient, giving it high biodegradability. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] The saponification process yields six to ten liters of liquid soap per batch. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] Es‑Pumita has a registered trademark and is the first sustainable product of UNAM’s green chemical‑engineering line. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 20 liters of used oil are collected each week for the project. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] The soap is being piloted in the restrooms of Campus II of the Faculty of Higher Studies Zaragoza, with plans to expand to Campus I. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] The project is led by researcher Alejandra Chávez Riveros and involves chemical engineering students. lanigua.com.mx · amanecerqro.com · www.diariomarca.com.mx

Sources

Es-Pumita, el jabón hecho con aceite usado que evita contaminación y taponamientos en Ciudad de México La Nigua [lanigua.com.mx]

about 2 months ago

Nunca vuelvas a tirar el aceite usado: el proyecto de la UNAM que lo transforma en jabón ecológico Es-Pumita [www.moncloa.com]

about 2 months ago

Estudiantes de la UNAM crean Es-Pumita, jabón hecho con aceite de cocina usado [despertarmexico.com]

about 2 months ago

Es-Pumita: jabón sostenible de la UNAM elaborado con aceite usado - Amanecer Querétaro [amanecerqro.com]

about 2 months ago

La UNAM encontró una forma de darle una segunda vida al aceite de cocina: convertirlo en jabón [www.xataka.com.mx]

about 2 months ago

Es-Pumita, jabón sostenible elaborado con aceite de cocina usado | Diario Marca [www.diariomarca.com.mx]

about 2 months ago