Rapid Construction of Green Nanopesticide Delivery Systems Using Sophorolipids as Surfactants by Flash Nanoprecipitation

Abstract

Green delivery carriers of nanopesticides, like sophorolipid biosurfactants, are of great significance to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainable agricultural development. However, the molecular diversity of an unisolated sophorolipid mixture with almost unpredictable self-assembly properties has limited the in-depth study of its structure−activity relationship and hindered the development of green pesticide delivery systems. In this work, the acidic and lactonic sophorolipids were successfully separated from the sophorolipid mixture through silica gel column chromatography. A series of cost-effective green nanopesticides loaded with lambda-cyhalothrin (LC) were rapidly fabricated based on a combination of the acidic and lactonic sophorolipids as surfactants by flash nanoprecipitation. The effects of the acidic-to-lactonic ratio on particle size, drug loading capacity, and biological activity against Hyphantria cunea of LC-loaded nanoparticles were systematically investigated. The resultant nanopesticides exhibited a better insecticidal efficacy than a commercial emulsifiable concentrate formulation. This work opens up a novel strategy to construct scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly nanopesticide systems.

Temperature-Responsive Bottlebrush Polymers Deliver a Stress-Regulating Agent In Vivo for Prolonged Plant Heat Stress Mitigation

“…The current temperature-responsive polymer bottlebrushes are made with synthetic polymers that are biocompatible but are poorly biodegradable, which limit their sustainability . Future work can leverage the nanocarrier design rules learned here and develop more sustainable agrochemical carriers with more biodegradable biomaterials such as stimuli-responsive peptides, , proteins, sophorolipids, and polysaccharides . Better understanding of the translocation of polymer nanocarriers to the edible parts of crop plants, such as the fruits or grains, is also needed to assess the potential for exposure to these materials through diet.…”

Modern Approaches for the Development of New Herbicides Based on Natural Compounds

“…Nanoformulations may include the components that release AI under certain conditions, for example, at a given pH level, illumination, temperature, and humidity, as well as in the presence of certain plant enzymes [ 105 ]. Nanotechnology also makes it possible to create the liquid forms of CHs (for example, nanoemulsions) and nanoadjuvants, for example, based on biosurfactants [ 106 ]. It is assumed that the use of nanomaterials in CH formulations will increase their biological efficiency by improving the absorption and translocation of AIs in plants [ 107 ].…”

Modern Approaches for the Development of New Herbicides Based on Natural Compounds

“…Nanoformulations may include the components that release AI under certain conditions, for example, at a given pH level, illumination, temperature, humidity, as well as in the presence of certain plant enzymes [105]. Nanotechnology also makes it possible to create the liquid forms of CHs (for example, nanoemulsions) and nanoadjuvants, for example, based on biosurfactants [106]. It is assumed that the use of nanomaterials in CH formulations will increase their biological efficiency by improving the absorption and translocation of AIs in plants [107].…”