The study, recently published in the journal ACS Nano, was conducted by researchers from the Hefei Institute of Physical Science (HFIPS) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The study is aimed at tackling several challenges associated with traditional pesticides, which are often difficult to apply evenly on plant leaves and are prone to being washed away by rain.
Pesticides that are susceptible to rapid degradation when exposed to sunlight.
Moreover, residual chemicals from pesticide formulations can pose significant risks to the environment.
It said the researchers used modified carbon dots and calcium carbonate particles as a carrier for abamectin, a widely used pesticide.
This new approach enhances adhesion to leaves, resists degradation, and releases active ingredients gradually for sustained effectiveness.
Comparing this to traditional pesticides, the new formulation demonstrated a reduced impact on non-target creatures.
Furthermore, after the pesticide releases its active ingredient, the remaining materials would break down into harmless substances like calcium ions and carbon dots, making it much less likely to cause pollution.
“This new colloidal pesticide can be a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional pesticides,’’ Wu Zhengyan, a professor at the HFIPS, told Xinhua news agency.
