Pesticide Formulations
ENY 3225
or
ENY 5226
Why Formulate Pesticides!
• Pesticides are rarely applied in their
technical form.
• They are usually formulated to improve
– Handling
– Storage
– Application
– Effectiveness
– Safety
Terminology for Formulations
• AI = active ingredient, chemicals that are
responsible for the pesticidal effect
• Inert ingredient = any substance in a
pesticide formulation having no pesticidal
action
• Formulation = the way a pesticide is prepared
for practical use
• Carrier = inert liquid or solid added to an
active ingredient to prepare a pesticide
formulation
Terminology for Formulations
• Diluent = any liquid or solid material used to
dilute an active ingredient. In liquid
formulations, water or oil is used; in dry
formulations, talc, clay or other fine dust is
used
• Emulsifier = a chemical that aids in
suspending one liquid in another
• Emulsion = a mixture of one liquid in another
liquid
Terminology for Formulations
• Wetting agent = a chemical which causes a
liquid to contact surfaces more thoroughly
• Suspension = a mixture of fine solid particles
in a liquid
• Soluble = dissolves in a liquid
• Surfactant = increases the emulsifying,
dispersing, spreading, and wetting properties
of a formulation
Types of Formulations
• Emulsifiable concentrates
• Wettable powders
• Solution
• Dusts
• Aerosols
• Granular formulations
• Baits
• Microencapsulated products
Emulsifiable Concentrates
• Designated by E or EC
– Examples are Dursban 2E, Prevail TC, Gentrol,
Dursban Pro, Archer, Dragnet
– 2E stands for 2 lbs/gal
• AI + solvent + emulsifier = EC
• EC + water = emulsion
• Emulsion is a fine suspension of oil droplets
in water and appears milky in color
• They do not require constant agitation prior to
each application
Emulsifiable Concentrates
• Advantages
– Bind well to fabrics and fibers in carpet.
– Easy to mix and use
– Spreads evenly over foliage
– Binds well to soil particles
Emulsifiable Concentrates
• Disadvantages
– Mild to strong odors
– Absorption onto porous surfaces
– Potential burning of plant material
– Errors in mixing the concentrate with water
– Some surfaces such as plastic or tile may
be damaged
– Can easily penetrate skin
Wettable Powders
• Desginated by W or WP
– Examples of wettable powders are Demon WP,
and Tempo WP
– 50WP stands for 50% WP
• AI + carrier + wetting agent = WP
• WP + water = suspension
• Suspensions are fine particles suspended in
water
• Suspensions require constant agitation prior
to each application
Wettable Powders
• Advantages
– No oil based solvents
– Low to no odor
– Little hazard of burning plants
– Little hazard of penetrating skin
– Do not absorb into porous surfaces, when
water evaporates, powder sits on surface
and is readily picked up by insects
Wettable Powders
• Disadvantages
– Inhalation of particles while mixing concentrate
– Constant agitation of suspension prior to and
during application
– Large mesh strainer must be used (>50 mesh) in
sprayers
– Pumps and nozzles can be damaged by abrasion
of the particles
– Visible residues can occur on dark surfaces
Solution
• Technical pesticide + diluent = solution
• Designated with SP = Soluble Powder,
or SC = Soluble Concentrate
• Example Premise SC, Termidor SC,
Bora-Care
• Advantage is also a solution
• Form clear liquids for spraying
Dusts
• Designated by D
– Examples of dusts are Deltadust, Ficam D, Drione,
Sevin D, and malathion D
– 5D represents 5% D
• Technical pesticide + dry carrier = dust
• Dusts cannot be mixed with water and must
be applied dry
• Common carriers are clay, talc, silica gel, or
diatomaceous earth
• Some dusts are the insecticide themselves
like boric acid or diatomaceous earth
Dusts
• Advantages
– Long lasting— they often do not break
down
– Low odor
– Easy to apply
– Not absorbed into surfaces and are readily
picked up by pests
– If spilled, dusts can be easily cleaned up
Dusts
• Disadvantages
– Readily become airborne and can
contaminate non-target surfaces
– Readily inhaled by the applicator,
technicians should wear a respirator for
application
– Can be abrasive, and eye protection
should be worn
Aerosols
• AI + solvent + propellent + nozzle = aerosol
• Technical insecticide + propellent = aerosol
• Examples of aerosols are Wasp Freeze,
ULD-BP-50, Ultracide, UltraGuardian
• Propellents may be butane
Aerosols
• Advantages
– Ease of use
– Ease of storage
– No dilution or storage of concentrates
• Disadvantages
– Expensive
– Odor of solvents
– Atomized droplets are easy to inhale and drift to
non-target surfaces
Granular Formulations
• Designated by G
• Technical pesticide + clay = granules
• Examples of granular formulations are
Dursban G, Talstar G
• 2.5G represents 2.5% G
Granular Formulations
• Advantages
– Low drift
– Ease of application
– Long residual life outdoors
• Disadvantages
– Water is required to release the insecticide
• Although some manufacturers are overcoming this
aspect
– Limited to outdoor application
– Application equipment must be calibrated often
Baits
• AI + food base = bait
– Food base can be liquid, meal, seed,
pellet, bait block, or gel
• Some baits are packaged in childproof
bait trays
• Examples of baits are MaxForce FC,
Siege, Recruit, Drax, Dual Choice,
Firstline, Niban, Amdro
Baits
• Advantages
– Easy to use
– Little or no mixing
– Readily control pests moving into or out of an area
• Disadvantages
– Other food sources compete with baits
– Very specific for certain species of pests
– Can be attractive to children or pets
Microencapsulated products
• Often referred to as ME (microencapsulated
emulsion), FM (flowable microencapsulated),
CS (Capsulated suspension)
• AI + plastic polymer + emulsifiers = ME
– The capsules enclose the insecticide and protect it
from degradation and release the insecticide
slowly
• Examples of MEs are Demand CS
Microencapsulated products
• Advantages
– Long term control
– Low odor
– Safety— if swallowed the capsules do not release
the insecticide
– No absorption into surfaces
• Disadvantages
– Require constant agitation
– May leave visible residues on dark surfaces
– Not effective in wet areas
Fumigants
• Gaseous insecticides usually packaged
under pressure and stored as liquids
• Some are tablets or pellets that release
gas when mixed with water
• Examples of fumigants are sulfuryl
fluoride (Vikane) and methyl bromide
(Meth-o-gas), Phostoxin (aluminum
phosphide)
Fumigants
• Advantages
– Toxic to a wide variety of pests
– Good penetration of target areas
– Single treatment will usually kill al pests in treated
area
• Disadvantages
– Treated area must be closed or tented to prevent
gas from escaping
– Highly toxic to people
Miscellaneous
• Lacquer or paint formulations
– Killmaster is 2% Dursban formulated in
lacquer.
– Lacquers slowly release insecticide to the
surface providing long residual
• Briquets
– Altosid contains methoprene that is slowly
released after application for mosquito
larvae control

Formulations

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Why Formulate Pesticides! •Pesticides are rarely applied in their technical form. • They are usually formulated to improve – Handling – Storage – Application – Effectiveness – Safety
  • 3.
    Terminology for Formulations •AI = active ingredient, chemicals that are responsible for the pesticidal effect • Inert ingredient = any substance in a pesticide formulation having no pesticidal action • Formulation = the way a pesticide is prepared for practical use • Carrier = inert liquid or solid added to an active ingredient to prepare a pesticide formulation
  • 4.
    Terminology for Formulations •Diluent = any liquid or solid material used to dilute an active ingredient. In liquid formulations, water or oil is used; in dry formulations, talc, clay or other fine dust is used • Emulsifier = a chemical that aids in suspending one liquid in another • Emulsion = a mixture of one liquid in another liquid
  • 5.
    Terminology for Formulations •Wetting agent = a chemical which causes a liquid to contact surfaces more thoroughly • Suspension = a mixture of fine solid particles in a liquid • Soluble = dissolves in a liquid • Surfactant = increases the emulsifying, dispersing, spreading, and wetting properties of a formulation
  • 6.
    Types of Formulations •Emulsifiable concentrates • Wettable powders • Solution • Dusts • Aerosols • Granular formulations • Baits • Microencapsulated products
  • 7.
    Emulsifiable Concentrates • Designatedby E or EC – Examples are Dursban 2E, Prevail TC, Gentrol, Dursban Pro, Archer, Dragnet – 2E stands for 2 lbs/gal • AI + solvent + emulsifier = EC • EC + water = emulsion • Emulsion is a fine suspension of oil droplets in water and appears milky in color • They do not require constant agitation prior to each application
  • 8.
    Emulsifiable Concentrates • Advantages –Bind well to fabrics and fibers in carpet. – Easy to mix and use – Spreads evenly over foliage – Binds well to soil particles
  • 9.
    Emulsifiable Concentrates • Disadvantages –Mild to strong odors – Absorption onto porous surfaces – Potential burning of plant material – Errors in mixing the concentrate with water – Some surfaces such as plastic or tile may be damaged – Can easily penetrate skin
  • 10.
    Wettable Powders • Desginatedby W or WP – Examples of wettable powders are Demon WP, and Tempo WP – 50WP stands for 50% WP • AI + carrier + wetting agent = WP • WP + water = suspension • Suspensions are fine particles suspended in water • Suspensions require constant agitation prior to each application
  • 11.
    Wettable Powders • Advantages –No oil based solvents – Low to no odor – Little hazard of burning plants – Little hazard of penetrating skin – Do not absorb into porous surfaces, when water evaporates, powder sits on surface and is readily picked up by insects
  • 12.
    Wettable Powders • Disadvantages –Inhalation of particles while mixing concentrate – Constant agitation of suspension prior to and during application – Large mesh strainer must be used (>50 mesh) in sprayers – Pumps and nozzles can be damaged by abrasion of the particles – Visible residues can occur on dark surfaces
  • 13.
    Solution • Technical pesticide+ diluent = solution • Designated with SP = Soluble Powder, or SC = Soluble Concentrate • Example Premise SC, Termidor SC, Bora-Care • Advantage is also a solution • Form clear liquids for spraying
  • 14.
    Dusts • Designated byD – Examples of dusts are Deltadust, Ficam D, Drione, Sevin D, and malathion D – 5D represents 5% D • Technical pesticide + dry carrier = dust • Dusts cannot be mixed with water and must be applied dry • Common carriers are clay, talc, silica gel, or diatomaceous earth • Some dusts are the insecticide themselves like boric acid or diatomaceous earth
  • 15.
    Dusts • Advantages – Longlasting— they often do not break down – Low odor – Easy to apply – Not absorbed into surfaces and are readily picked up by pests – If spilled, dusts can be easily cleaned up
  • 16.
    Dusts • Disadvantages – Readilybecome airborne and can contaminate non-target surfaces – Readily inhaled by the applicator, technicians should wear a respirator for application – Can be abrasive, and eye protection should be worn
  • 17.
    Aerosols • AI +solvent + propellent + nozzle = aerosol • Technical insecticide + propellent = aerosol • Examples of aerosols are Wasp Freeze, ULD-BP-50, Ultracide, UltraGuardian • Propellents may be butane
  • 18.
    Aerosols • Advantages – Easeof use – Ease of storage – No dilution or storage of concentrates • Disadvantages – Expensive – Odor of solvents – Atomized droplets are easy to inhale and drift to non-target surfaces
  • 19.
    Granular Formulations • Designatedby G • Technical pesticide + clay = granules • Examples of granular formulations are Dursban G, Talstar G • 2.5G represents 2.5% G
  • 20.
    Granular Formulations • Advantages –Low drift – Ease of application – Long residual life outdoors • Disadvantages – Water is required to release the insecticide • Although some manufacturers are overcoming this aspect – Limited to outdoor application – Application equipment must be calibrated often
  • 21.
    Baits • AI +food base = bait – Food base can be liquid, meal, seed, pellet, bait block, or gel • Some baits are packaged in childproof bait trays • Examples of baits are MaxForce FC, Siege, Recruit, Drax, Dual Choice, Firstline, Niban, Amdro
  • 22.
    Baits • Advantages – Easyto use – Little or no mixing – Readily control pests moving into or out of an area • Disadvantages – Other food sources compete with baits – Very specific for certain species of pests – Can be attractive to children or pets
  • 23.
    Microencapsulated products • Oftenreferred to as ME (microencapsulated emulsion), FM (flowable microencapsulated), CS (Capsulated suspension) • AI + plastic polymer + emulsifiers = ME – The capsules enclose the insecticide and protect it from degradation and release the insecticide slowly • Examples of MEs are Demand CS
  • 24.
    Microencapsulated products • Advantages –Long term control – Low odor – Safety— if swallowed the capsules do not release the insecticide – No absorption into surfaces • Disadvantages – Require constant agitation – May leave visible residues on dark surfaces – Not effective in wet areas
  • 25.
    Fumigants • Gaseous insecticidesusually packaged under pressure and stored as liquids • Some are tablets or pellets that release gas when mixed with water • Examples of fumigants are sulfuryl fluoride (Vikane) and methyl bromide (Meth-o-gas), Phostoxin (aluminum phosphide)
  • 26.
    Fumigants • Advantages – Toxicto a wide variety of pests – Good penetration of target areas – Single treatment will usually kill al pests in treated area • Disadvantages – Treated area must be closed or tented to prevent gas from escaping – Highly toxic to people
  • 27.
    Miscellaneous • Lacquer orpaint formulations – Killmaster is 2% Dursban formulated in lacquer. – Lacquers slowly release insecticide to the surface providing long residual • Briquets – Altosid contains methoprene that is slowly released after application for mosquito larvae control