Metal–Organic Framework (UiO-66)-Based Pesticide Delivery System for Effective Deltamethrin Loading and Sustained Pesticide Release

Abstract

A pesticide delivery system (PDS) is an effective strategy to overcome the low efficiency of conventional pesticide formulations. UiO-66, a metal–organic framework (MOF), is a suitable nanocarrier for pesticide delivery due to its large surface area, good stability, and nontoxicity. In this work, we developed deltamethrin-loaded UiO-66 (DM@UiO-66) as a PDS for sustained DM release and enhanced pest control. DM was loaded on UiO-66 via a physical adsorption method, forming a stable DM@UiO-66 nanoformulation (loading capacity 1049.6 mg/g). Unlike the burst release of free DM, DM@UiO-66 exhibits sustained pesticide release performance, which can maintain effective insecticidal concentration for a long time. Biological assay results indicate that DM@UiO-66 possesses better insecticidal activity than free DM, and the nanoformulation is safe for maize seeds and seedlings. In addition, DM@UiO-66 contains no toxic organic solvents or additives, which makes it environmentally friendly. Thus, the UiO-66-based PDS will hold a great future in agriculture and pest control fields.