Development of nanoformulation approaches for the control of weeds

Sandeep Kumar; Gaurav Bhanjana; Amit Sharma; Neeraj Dilbaghi; M C Sidhu; Ki-Hyun Kim

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.138

Development of nanoformulation approaches for the control of weeds

Sci Total Environ. 2017 May 15:586:1272-1278. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.138. Epub 2017 Feb 22.

Authors

Sandeep Kumar¹, Gaurav Bhanjana², Amit Sharma², Neeraj Dilbaghi², M C Sidhu³, Ki-Hyun Kim⁴

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Bio and Nano Technology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana 125001, India. Electronic address: ksandeep36@yahoo.com.
² Dept. of Bio and Nano Technology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana 125001, India.
³ Dept. of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
⁴ Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kkim61@hanyang.ac.kr.

PMID: 28236485
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.138

Abstract

The nanoformulation of pesticides has the potential to increase food productivity, while resolving the drawbacks of conventional agrochemicals, which have negative environmental impacts. In this study, herbicide (metsulfuron methyl)-loaded pectin (polysaccharide) nanoparticles were synthesized and evaluated for herbicidal activity and cytotoxicity. The optimum formulation of nanoparticles was obtained using the Central Composite Design. The basic properties (mean particle size, stability, morphology, and interaction between polymer and herbicide) were characterized using a particle size analyzer (PSA), zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively. The nanoparticles were found to be in size range of 50-90nm with zeta potential value of -35.9mV. The herbicide loading and herbicide encapsulation efficiency of the nanoparticles were determined to be 6.30% and 63±2%, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the herbicide-loaded nanoparticles was evaluated using healthy cell lines (Vero cell lines) and compared with that of commercial herbicide. In addition, an in-field evaluation of our nanoformulation's effects on the Chenopodium album plant was performed using a pectin nanocarrier. The results showed that application of herbicide-loaded nanoparticles could be used to reduce the use of herbicides with improved efficacy and environmental safety.

Keywords: Herbicide; Metsulfuron methyl; Nanocapsules; Pectin; Polysaccharide; Toxicity.