Nanoemulsion and Its Application in Pesticide Formulation

Abstract

A nanoemulsion is a colloidal dispersion that contains very small particles with size in the range of 20-200 nm, which may be of the oil-in-water (O/W) or water-in-oil (W/O) types depending on whether the oil is dispersed as droplets in water or vice versa. Pesticides play a critical role in controlling agriculture and ensuring food safety. In the future, the utilization of pesticides will become even more important to solve food security problems associated with providing an adequate food supply for the growing world population. Hence, development of new techniques for nanoemulsions formulation in the field of agriculture and forestry are necessary. In this chapter, the synthesis, characterization, and application of nanoemulsion in pesticides formulation are reviewed. In addition, the effect of antifungal or insecticidal and antimicrobial enhancement activity of nanoemulsions with size, composition, and stability are also discussed.