Preparation of alphacypermethrin and fipronil emulsifiable concentrates using different concentrations of the modified polytrisiloxane (QS-302)

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Pesticide Chemistry and Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture (Elshatby), Alexandria University, P.O. Box: 21545, Alexandria, Egypt.
Abstract
The present research aimed to enhance the efficacy of alphacypermethrin and fipronil insecticides formulated as an emulsifiable concentrate (EC) by adding varying concentrations of the modified polytrisiloxane (QS-302) as an adjuvant alongside the emulsifier blend. The formulations were subjected to emulsion and thermal stability tests according to the methods used by both the FAO and WHO to determine qualified pesticides. Using the residual thin film technique, the acute toxicity of prepared formulations was also assessed against adult rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.). Generally, alphacypermethrin demonstrated greater effectiveness than fipronil, with LC50 values of 1.545 ppm for alphacypermethrin compared to 8.60 ppm for fipronil. When the QS 302 adjuvant was incorporated at a concentration of 7% into the EC formulations, the LC50 for fipronil decreased from 8.60 ppm to 5.98 ppm. Also, at a 14% addition of QS 302, the LC50 value dropped to 2.92 ppm. In contrast, the efficacy of alphacypermethrin against rice weevils diminished when QS 302 was mixed with the other components at the same concentration. This may be attributed to the enhanced pesticide penetration and distribution of fipronil, which was improved more than that of alphacypermethrin due to alterations in the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance (HLB), ultimately affecting the solubilization and penetration of the insecticide through the rice weevil cuticle.
Keywords

Subjects


Abbott, W. S. 1925. A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. Journal of economic entomology, 18(2):265-267.
Arthur, F. H. 2012. Aerosols and contact insecticides as alternatives to methyl bromide in flour mills, food production facilities, and food warehouses. Journal of Pest Science, 85(3):323-329.
Busscher, H., Geertsema‐Doornbusch, G. and Van der Mei, H. 1997. Adhesion to silicone rubber of yeasts and bacteria isolated from voice prostheses: influence of salivary conditioning films. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research: An Official Journal of The Society for Biomaterials and The Japanese Society for Biomaterials, 34(2):201-209.
Chow, P. N., Grant, C. A., Hinshalwood, A. M. and Simundsson, E. 1989. Adjuvants and agrochemicals. CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida.
CIPAC. 1995a. Cipac Method Mt 12 - Flash point. In: CIPAC Handbook F Physico-chemical methods for technical and formulated pesticides. Harpenden, UK: Collaborative International Pesticides Analytical Council Ltd.
CIPAC. 1995b. Cipac Method Mt 18 - Preparation of standard waters A and D. In: CIPAC Handbook F Physico-chemical methods for technical and formulated pesticides. Harpenden, UK: Collaborative International Pesticides Analytical Council Ltd. p. 59-62.
CIPAC. 2003. CIPAC Test Method MT 36.3: Emulsion Characteristics and Re-Emulsification Properties. In: CIPAC Handbook K Physico-chemical methods for technical and formulated pesticides. Harpenden, UK: Collaborative International Pesticide Analytical Council, Ltd.
CIPAC. 2005a. Cipac Method Mt 191 - Acidity or alkalinity of formulations. In: CIPAC Handbook L Physico-chemical methods for Technical and Formulated Pesticides. Harpenden, UK: Collaborative International Pesticide Analytical Council, Ltd.
CIPAC. 2005b. Cipac Method Mt 192 - Viscosity of Liquids by Rotational Viscometry. In: CIPAC Handbook L Physico-chemical methods for Technical and Formulated Pesticides. Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK: Collaborative International Pesticide Analytical Council, Ltd.
Daglish, G. J., Wallbank, B. E. and Nayak, M. K. 2003. Synergized bifenthrin plus chlorpyrifos-methyl for control of beetles and psocids in sorghum in Australia. Journal of economic entomology, 96(2):525-532.
European Commission. 2011. Fipronil, product-type PT18 (insecticides, acaricides and products to control other arthropods). Finalised in the Standing Committee on Biocidal Products at its meeting on 6th May 2011 in view of its inclusion in Annex I to Directive 98/8/EC.
Fainerman, V. B., Aksenenko, E. V., Makievski, A. V., Nikolenko, M. V., Javadi, A., Schneck, E. and Miller, R. 2019. Particular behavior of surface tension at the interface between aqueous solution of surfactant and alkane. Langmuir, 35(47):15214-15220.
Feng, J., Zhang, Q., Liu, Q., Zhu, Z., McClements, D. J. and Jafari, S. M. 2018. Application of nanoemulsions in formulation of pesticides. In: Nanoemulsions. Elsevier. p. 379-413.
Finney, D. 1971. Probit analysis
Hazra, D., Megha, P., Raza, S. and Patanjali, P. 2013. Formulation technology: key parameters for food safety with respect to agrochemicals use in crop protection. The Journal of Plant Protection Sciences, 5(2):1-19.
Jiang, L. C., Basri, M., Omar, D., Rahman, M., Salleh, A. B. and Rahman, R. 2011. Physicochemical Characterisation of Nonionic Surfactants in oil-in-water (O/W) Nano-emulsions for New Pesticide Formulations. International Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 1(5):131-142.
Jiao, J., Qi, L., Wu, J., Lang, X., Wei, Y., Zhang, G., Cui, P., Shang, Z., Mu, X. and Mu, S. 2023. Synthesis of carboxyl modified polyether polysiloxane surfactant for the biodegradable foam fire extinguishing agents. Molecules, 28(8):3546.
JMPS. 2010. Manual on development and use of FAO and WHO specifications for pesticides/prepared by the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Specifications (JMPS).
Mollet, H. and Grubenmann, A. 2008. Formulation technology: emulsions, suspensions, solid forms. John Wiley & Sons.
Moustafa, F., El Sebae, A., El Hawashi, N. and Zeid, M. 1980. Toxicity of seven organophosphorus insecticides to the confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum (Duv.)) applied by two different methods [to avoid mammalian toxicity]. Alexandria Journal of Agricultural Research, 28(3):273-277.
Nayak, M. K. and Daglish, G. J. 2006. Potential of imidacloprid to control four species of psocids (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae) infesting stored grain. Pest Management Science: formerly Pesticide Science, 62(7):646-650.
Peveling, R. 2000. Environmental monitoring of locust control operations in Malaimbandy, Madagascar. Washington, DC.
Peveling, R., McWilliam, A., Nagel, P., Rasolomanana, H., Rakotomianina, L., Ravoninjatovo, A., Dewhurst, C., Gibson, G., Rafanomezana, S. and Tingle, C. 2003. Impact of locust control on harvester termites and endemic vertebrate predators in Madagascar. Journal of Applied Ecology, 40(4):729-741.
Rojas de Arias, A. and Fournet, A. 2002. Fipronil insecticide: novel application against triatomine insect vectors of Chagas disease. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 97:535-539.
Saleem, M. A., Shakoori, A. R. and Mantle, D. 1998. Macromolecular and enzymatic abnormalities induced by a synthetic pyrethroid, Ripcord (Cypermethrin), in adult beetles of a stored grain pest, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.)(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Archives of Insect Biochemistry Physiology: Published in Collaboration with the Entomological Society of America, 39(4):144-154.
Simon-Delso, N., Amaral-Rogers, V., Belzunces, L. P., Bonmatin, J.-M., Chagnon, M., Downs, C., Furlan, L., Gibbons, D. W., Giorio, C. and Girolami, V. 2015. Systemic insecticides (neonicotinoids and fipronil): trends, uses, mode of action and metabolites. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 22(1):5-34.
Soltan, H. R., ElBakary, A. S., Shawir, M. S. and AlHomudi, T. 2020. Comparative Acute Toxicity of Five Insecticide against Rice Weevil. Modern Concepts & Developments in Agronomy, 7(3):733-737.
Xue, R.-D., Pridgeon, J. W., Becnel, J. J. and Ali, A. 2009. Fipronil as a larvicide against the container-inhabiting mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 25(2):224-227.
Yan, Y., Hoffmann, H., Drechsler, M., Talmon, Y. and Makarsky, E. 2006. Influence of hydrocarbon surfactant on the aggregation behavior of silicone surfactant: observation of intermediate structures in the vesicle− micelle transition. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 110(11):5621-5626.