Characterization of Nanostructured Silica as Carrier for Insecticides Deltamethrin, Pyriproxyfen, and Chlorpyrifos and Testing the Insecticidal Efficacy Against Trogoderma granarium (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) Larvae.

Abstract

Abstract Nanostructured silica can be used as a carrier of pesticides to enhance stability and controlled release of agrochemicals with an effective concentration on target pests. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized by sol–gel process and employed as a carrier of three different insecticides including deltamethrin, pyriproxyfen, and chlorpyrifos. The SNPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and the insecticides-loaded in SNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The toxicity of insecticides alone and loaded in SNPs was evaluated against small and large larvae of Trogoderma granarium Everts on concrete surfaces. The immediate mortality was counted after 1, 3, and 7 d of exposure, and then surviving individuals were transferred to untreated surfaces for seven more days, with delayed mortality was recorded. Small larvae were more susceptible than large ones on all insecticide treatments. In addition, insecticides loaded in silica nanoparticles were more effective when compared with application of the insecticides alone. For immediate mortality, deltamethrin loaded in SNPs was the most efficient treatment causing 70.5% mortality on small and 55.5% mortality on large larvae after 7 d of exposure to the highest concentration. Pyriproxyfen loaded in SNPs caused low immediate mortality, but the mortality increased in delayed count indicated that the insecticide could control the larvae even after they have been removed from treated surfaces. It can be concluded that loading insecticides in SNPs could significantly increase their insecticidal efficiency, but this increase was compound-dependent.