Pollution related to pesticides has become a global problem due to their low utilization and non-targeting application, and nanotechnology has shown great potential in promoting sustainable agriculture. Nowadays, mesoporous silica-based nanomaterials have garnered immense attention for improving the efficacy and safety of pesticides due to their distinctive advantages of low toxicity, high thermal and chemical stability, and particularly size tunability and versatile functionality. Based on the introduction of the structure and synthesis of different types of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), the multiple roles of mesoporous silica in safe pesticide application using nanotechnology are discussed in this Review: (i) as nanocarrier for sustained/ controlled delivery of pesticides, (ii) as adsorbent for enrichment or removal of pesticides in aqueous media, (iii) as support of catalysts for degradation of pesticide contaminants, and (iv) as support of sensors for detection of pesticides. Several scientific issues, strategies, and mechanisms regarding the application of MSNs in the pesticide field are presented, with their future directions discussed in terms of their environmental risk assessment, in-depth mechanism exploration, and cost−benefit consideration for their continuous development. This Review will provide critical information to related researchers and may open up their minds to develop new advances in pesticide application.
Controlled-release
pesticide formulations using natural polymers
as carriers are highly desirable owing to their good biocompatibility,
biodegradability, and improved pesticide utilization. In this study,
the application potential of our previously prepared spinosad/chitosan
controlled-release suspension (SCCS) was evaluated through both toxicity
and dissipation tests. A comparison with the spinosad suspension concentrate
and the commercial spinosad emulsion in water showed that the insecticidal
activity of SCCS against Plutella xylostella larvae displayed the best quick-acting performance as well as long-term
efficacy of more than 20 days. The 48 h LC50 for a 20-day
efficacy was calculated to be 29.36 mg/L. The dissipation behavior
of spinosad in the spinosad/chitosan microparticles in soil was found
to follow the first-order kinetics, with a relatively shorter half-life
(2.1 days) than that observed for the unformulated spinosad (3.1 days).
This work showed the positive effect of chitosan on spinosad in improving
insecticidal activity and reducing environmental risks in soil, which
provided useful information on the application potential of pesticide–carrier
systems based on natural polymer materials in crop protection and
food safety.
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