Abamectin, a natural product pesticide that degrades rapidly
in air and sunlight, has been
encapsulated with the protein zein. The result was a mineral oil
suspension that included a
photostabilized abamectin. After exposure to simulated sunlight,
the microsphere suspension
provided a several-fold increase in recoverable abamectin residue.
The enhanced photostability of
the microspheres is due to retarded reaction between oxygen and the
diene chromophore of
abamectin, in the presence of light. The zein could function as a
quencher of singlet oxygen and/or
a physical oxygen barrier.
Keywords: Abamectin; photostability; zein; encapsulation
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