Pickering emulsion delivery platform for sustainable insect control
A sustainable Pickering emulsion platform for targeted insecticide delivery combines biodegradable components, ensuring minimized health hazards and long-term efficacy. It delivers insecticides and pheromones for household pest control, specifically cockroaches.
Overview
This innovative Pickering emulsion (PE) platform is designed for sustainable and controlled insecticide delivery, focusing on household pests like cockroaches. By utilizing biodegradable, environmentally friendly components, the PE minimizes health risks while providing long-term pest control. The solution integrates an insecticide, Abamectin (Abm), and a pheromone, Carminic acid (CA), for a dual-action approach. The CA provides an immediate release to attract pests, while Abm is released gradually for extended insecticidal action.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Biodegradable components: Uses cellulosic nanoparticles for environmental safety.
- Multi-phase delivery: Water-soluble CA releases quickly to bait insects; oil-soluble Abm releases slowly for prolonged insecticide action.
- Versatile application: Can be used as sprayable emulsions or gels for diverse surface adhesion.
- Enhanced stability: Solid colloidal particles stabilize the emulsion better than conventional surfactants.
Testing and evaluation:
- Release profiles modulated through composition adjustments, tested using UV-visible spectroscopy and HPLC.
- Adhesion and spreading on various surfaces to be examined.
Technology readiness level
This technology is at TRL 4, indicating it has been validated in a lab setting. Future validations will focus on optimizing AI incorporation and release profiles, enhancing its application for household pest control.
About North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University is a large, comprehensive public land‑grant research university in Raleigh. Its on‑campus research and technology park co‑locates corporate R&D groups, government partners, and faculty labs, enabling shared facilities, prototyping, and agile contracting. Located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, partners tap a dense regional ecosystem while engaging through a statewide extension network and a mature co‑op program that deliver field deployment and workforce pipelines. Multiple pilot and demonstration facilities support scale‑up and validation toward pre‑commercial readiness. Research is supported by competitive funding from major federal agencies, including NSF, USDA, DOE, and DOD, and a dedicated technology transfer office with clear IP pathways helps accelerate commercialization.
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