Continuous and scalable preparation of environmentally friendly controlled-release pesticide nanocapsules using low-energy-input microfluidics

Nanopesticides can utilize the unique characteristics of nanoscales to maximize pesticide efficacy. The continuous and scalable preparation of nanopesticides is an industrial demand for their practical application. A universal low-energy-input microfluidic platform was developed for high-throughput continuous preparation of pesticide nanocapsules. The pesticide-loaded 1-butanol/water microemulsions through the co-assembly of sodium lignosulfonate (SL) and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, were developed and then mineralized through the coordination interactions between Fe 3+ and SL. The prepared pyraclostrobin nanocapsules (Pyr NCs) had a uniform size of approximately 150 nm with a high Pyr loading capacity of 75% and excellent cold/hot storage stability. Encapsulation of Pyr significantly improved its photostability, and the nanocapsules enabled them to better adhere to crop leaves to resist rainwater erosion. Pyr NCs had a photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 42.9% and achieved multiple stimuli-responsive controlled pesticide release owing to physiological changes in infected crops. Both in vitro ( Fusarium graminearum ) and in vivo ( Botrytis cinerea ) evaluations demonstrate that Pyr NCs had better fungicidal efficacy than commercial formulations. Pyr NCs not only demonstrated biosafety to target crops but also enhanced biosafety to non-target organisms. The environmentally friendly controlled-release pesticide nanocapsules using the microfluidic platform have broad application prospects in green and sustainable agriculture.