11.2.2 Micelles
Micelles are ideal bioactive nanocarriers for encapsulating pesticides, especially for
water-insoluble agents (Barradas et al. 2013; Han et al. 2007; Singh et al. 2015). The
amphiphilic block copolymers, polymers, surfactants, etc., play a vital role in the
formation of micelles. Because of their amphiphilic properties, the materials are able
to self-assemble to form spherical micelles in an aqueous solution by keeping
hydrophilic ends as the outer shell and the hydrophobic ends as the core. In the
case of water-soluble copolymers, the formation of micelles can be achieved when
two methods are employed. The first involves the direct dissolution method in which
the copolymers are simply added to the aqueous solution above their critical micelle
concentration. Hydrophobic pesticides can be trapped in the core during the micelle
formation process.
11.2.3 Lipid-based Nanomaterials
Lipid-based nanomaterials have been reported as potential delivery systems for
bioactive substances with better encapsulating efficiency and low toxicity (Zheng
et al. 2013). Lipid-based nanomaterials have great potential to encapsulate the
hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and lipophilic active ingredients. They regularly facilitate
the dispersion of hydrophobic AIs in aqueous solutions and absorption of the
bioactive compounds through the cuticle of the insect body. Of the various types
of lipid-based nanoparticles, nanoliposomes, and solid lipid nanoparticles have
already demonstrated their efficacy to encapsulate pesticidal active ingredients.
Nanoliposomes are the nanometric version of liposomes, and they both share similar
chemical, structural, and thermodynamic properties. Along with other applications,
nanoliposomes are considered to be very efficient in encapsulating and delivering
bioactive substances to targets of biological, biochemical, pharmacological, and
agricultural interest. Nanoliposomes provide more surface area, increased solubility,
and enhanced bioavailability of the active compounds compared to liposomes. They
also improve the controlled-release system and enable precision targeting of the
encapsulated materials. Nanoliposomes are vesicles consisting of a bilayer lipid with
a watery interior at nanoscale level. Colloidal structures are formed by the arrangement of lipids, most commonly phospholipids in an aqueous solution.
11.2.4 Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs)
SLNs were reported as being a superior carrier material relative to other nanocarrier
materials such as polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, and
nanosuspensions in colloidal systems (Pan et al. 2016). It has been reported that
SLNs can retain the beneficial properties of other colloidal carriers and have no
disadvantages in terms of physical and chemical storage stability, toxicity, loading
capacity, production scale, target-oriented releasing properties, feasibility, etc. For
11 Nanopesticides in Agriculture
249
Micelles are ideal bioactive nanocarriers for encapsulating pesticides, especially for
water-insoluble agents (Barradas et al. 2013; Han et al. 2007; Singh et al. 2015). The
amphiphilic block copolymers, polymers, surfactants, etc., play a vital role in the
formation of micelles. Because of their amphiphilic properties, the materials are able
to self-assemble to form spherical micelles in an aqueous solution by keeping
hydrophilic ends as the outer shell and the hydrophobic ends as the core. In the
case of water-soluble copolymers, the formation of micelles can be achieved when
two methods are employed. The first involves the direct dissolution method in which
the copolymers are simply added to the aqueous solution above their critical micelle
concentration. Hydrophobic pesticides can be trapped in the core during the micelle
formation process.
11.2.3 Lipid-based Nanomaterials
Lipid-based nanomaterials have been reported as potential delivery systems for
bioactive substances with better encapsulating efficiency and low toxicity (Zheng
et al. 2013). Lipid-based nanomaterials have great potential to encapsulate the
hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and lipophilic active ingredients. They regularly facilitate
the dispersion of hydrophobic AIs in aqueous solutions and absorption of the
bioactive compounds through the cuticle of the insect body. Of the various types
of lipid-based nanoparticles, nanoliposomes, and solid lipid nanoparticles have
already demonstrated their efficacy to encapsulate pesticidal active ingredients.
Nanoliposomes are the nanometric version of liposomes, and they both share similar
chemical, structural, and thermodynamic properties. Along with other applications,
nanoliposomes are considered to be very efficient in encapsulating and delivering
bioactive substances to targets of biological, biochemical, pharmacological, and
agricultural interest. Nanoliposomes provide more surface area, increased solubility,
and enhanced bioavailability of the active compounds compared to liposomes. They
also improve the controlled-release system and enable precision targeting of the
encapsulated materials. Nanoliposomes are vesicles consisting of a bilayer lipid with
a watery interior at nanoscale level. Colloidal structures are formed by the arrangement of lipids, most commonly phospholipids in an aqueous solution.
11.2.4 Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs)
SLNs were reported as being a superior carrier material relative to other nanocarrier
materials such as polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, and
nanosuspensions in colloidal systems (Pan et al. 2016). It has been reported that
SLNs can retain the beneficial properties of other colloidal carriers and have no
disadvantages in terms of physical and chemical storage stability, toxicity, loading
capacity, production scale, target-oriented releasing properties, feasibility, etc. For
11 Nanopesticides in Agriculture
249