Facile pathway to generate agrochemical nanosuspensions integrating super-high load, eco-friendly excipients, intensified preparation process, and enhanced potency

Abstract

An aqueous nanosuspension of agrochemicals unlike pharmaceutics has to achieve massive production in an effective way, capable to ensure sufficient profits in commercialization. This work implements the flash nanoprecipitation (FNP) technique to effectively generate agrochemical nanosuspension, anticipatedly overcoming such an obstacle. Azoxystrobin, a broad spectrum fungicide, in either acetone or ethanol is used herein as a mode agrochemical. To ensure a green and practical utilization, three kinds of commercially available and eco-friendly surfactants, i.e., poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG-b-PLGA), Tween 80 and alkyl polyglucosides (APGs), are employed for stabilizing the nanoparticles. The results show that the polymeric stabilizer, PEG-b-PLGA, has the best stabilization efficiency, and can maintain the particles below 100 nm for at least three weeks. The azoxystrobin load of the nanoparticles reaches as high as 77 wt.%, beneficial to enhancing the biological potency. Moreover, the FNP brings the particles a much smaller size, narrower size distribution, better size stability, and higher biological efficacy than the ones made via a traditional method of the drop and stir (DS). The nanosuspensions present superior fungicidal performances over a prevailing counterpart from Syngenta. This study proves an enhanced biological potency and reduced dosage of agrochemical nanosuspension made via the FNP, indicating a remarkable advantage of the FNP over the conventional preparation. The integration of a super-high load, eco-friendly excipients, intensified preparation process, enhanced potency, and reduced dosage creates a promising pathway to generate a green aqueous nanosuspension of agrochemicals.