Work

Graphene oxide/zein nanocomposites loaded with rotenone: Synergistically enhancing the pesticidal activity and biosafety of rotenone

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Nanomaterials have been widely applied as pesticide carriers, representing an important approach to enhancing insecticidal efficacy against target pests, improving safety for non-target organisms, and further mitigating environmental pollution. In this work, a pesticide delivery system (SGO-Rot@Zein) was developed by loading rotenone (Rot) onto small-sized graphene oxide (SGO) and further encapsulating with zein as a protective matrix. Characterizations via SEM, FTIR, and TGA confirmed successful synthesis: Rot interacts with SGO through hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions, and zein encapsulates SGO-Rot via hydrogen bonding to enhance thermal stability. Compared with technical Rot, under environmental temperatures (25–35°C) and pH conditions (6.0–8.0), SGO-Rot@Zein exhibited excellent temperature- and pH-responsive controlled release behavior. The release of Rot from SGO-Rot@Zein fitted the Higuchi model (diffusion-controlled release). SGO-Rot@Zein showed significantly improved UV stability (only 69.73 % photodegradation after 168 h vs. 100 % after 96 h for technical Rot) and enhanced wettability on leaf surfaces (smaller contact angles), boosting adhesivity. Biological activity assays demonstrated that SGO-Rot@Zein exerted higher and more persistent insecticidal activity against Rhopalosiphum maidis and Tetranychus urticae than technical Rot, maintaining superior mortality rates up to 14 days post-treatment. Environmental safety evaluations revealed reduced soil mobility and lower acute toxicity to zebrafish. Therefore, SGO-Rot@Zein provides a novel strategy for effective and sustainable pest control with broad application prospects.

Source: Industrial Crops and Products

DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.122327