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Enzyme and pH dual-responsive avermectin nano-microcapsules for improving its efficacy
Guanghua Liu1,2, Guanquan Lin3, Xida Lin3
1School of Agriculture and Biology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
New pesticide microcapsules improve pesticide utilization and reduce environmental harm. Carboxymethyl cellulose grafting dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (CMC-g-PDMDAAC) microcapsules effectively encapsulate avermectin (AVM), showing sustained release and stimuli-responsive properties.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Pesticide overuse poses environmental and health risks due to low utilization rates.
- Microencapsulation offers a solution for controlled pesticide release and enhanced efficacy.
- Stimuli-responsive microcapsules can improve pesticide delivery and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel stimuli-responsive microcapsules for avermectin (AVM) using carboxymethyl cellulose grafting dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (CMC-g-PDMDAAC).
- To evaluate the encapsulation efficiency, particle size, and release characteristics of the AVM-loaded microcapsules.
- To investigate the environmental responsiveness and toxicological effects of the developed microcapsules.
Main Methods:
- Grafting polymerization of CMC and PDMDAAC to form CMC-g-PDMDAAC.
- Encapsulation of avermectin (AVM) within CMC-g-PDMDAAC microcapsules via electrostatic interactions.
- Characterization of microcapsule particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release studies under UV irradiation, enzyme, and pH stimuli.
Main Results:
- AVM/CMC-g-PDMDAAC microcapsules were successfully prepared with particle sizes of 200-300 nm.
- High encapsulation efficiency of 72.06% was achieved for avermectin.
- Sustained release of AVM was observed, with the remaining rate increasing from 50.0% to 81.60% after 359 min of UV irradiation.
- Microcapsules demonstrated significant responsiveness to enzyme and pH stimuli.
- DMDAAC showed a synergistic effect on the toxicological properties of AVM.
Conclusions:
- CMC-g-PDMDAAC microcapsules provide an effective platform for sustained and stimuli-responsive delivery of avermectin.
- The developed microcapsules can potentially reduce pesticide usage and mitigate environmental risks.
- Further toxicological evaluation is warranted due to the synergistic effect observed between DMDAAC and AVM.
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