Sodium-lignosulfonate-conjugated metal–organic frameworks as dual-stimulus-responsive carriers for improved pesticide targeting

The use of intelligent pesticides that respond to environmental stimuli is a promising strategy for achieving sustainable pest control while mitigating pesticide-related environmental pollution. This study reports the design of a pH and laccase dual-stimulus-responsive pesticide-slow-release composite (IMI@UiO-66@SL). The composite utilises an imidacloprid (IMI)-encapsulated metal–organic framework (MOF; UiO-66) as a nano-carrier and sodium lignosulfonate (SL) as a capping agent. Results show that IMI@UiO-66@SL exhibits excellent IMI release properties in acidic and laccase-rich environments, which closely mimic the physiological and behavioural conditions of termites. Furthermore, compared to the original IMI formulation, IMI@UiO-66@SL exhibits enhanced and prolonged insecticidal activity. Briefly, this study reports a promising approach for the sustainable management of termite colonies.