Abstract
In current agricultural systems, environment-friendly agrochemicals play essentially important roles in preventing crops from diseases, increasing crop yields and reducing environmental pollution. However, the development of green pesticides with desirable physical properties and specific bioavailability remains a challenging task to date. In this study, a novel class of binary additives of amphiphilic sodium alginate derivative (Ugi-Alg) /alkyl glycoside (APG) as emulsifiers was proposed to improve the stability of pesticide oil-in-water emulsion (EW) and the wettability of solutions on banana leaf surface. Using these emulsifiers, an eco-friendly oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion loaded pesticide has been prepared for pesticide delivery. The effect of Ugi-Alg and APG on emulsion stability was assessed by Turbiscan LabExpert stability analyzer, Optical Microscopy and DHR rotational rheometer. Our results clearly evidenced that the increase of Ugi-Alg concentration effectively enhanced the interfacial layer thickness of emulsion droplets due to hydrophobic interaction, which further significantly improved the stability of emulsion solution. With 3 g/L Ugi-Alg and APG (4 wt%) in the emulsions, the solution showed long-term stability up to 30 d. The effect of Ugi-Alg and APG surfactants on the deposition of pesticide solution was also evaluated on banana leaves. Based on our characterizations, including the surface free energy, the surface tension, the retention ability, the contact angle and the pesticide deposition, we concluded that the mixed surfactants of Ugi-Alg and APG can greatly improve the wettability and adhesion of pesticide solutions on leaf surfaces. This novel platform utilizing both green polymer and non-toxic surfactant for the formation of environment-friendly EW is likely to improve the delivery efficiency of pesticides, minimizing the environmental pollution resulted from the overuse of pesticides in agricultural system.
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