Biochar for Safer Agrochemical Delivery

Tech ID: 21.685

Key Features

• Biochar augmented slug pellets that reduce leaching of metaldehyde
• Increased adsorption of metaldehyde
• Biocidal efficacy maintained
• Environmental benefits

Description

Professor Brian Reid and his team at the University of East Anglia have developed a platform technology that utilises the sustainable product biochar, a pure and carbon stable charcoal, to enable safer agrochemical delivery. The technology has been demonstrated in slug pellets containing the active metaldehyde and biochar which are mixed and then processed using a form of stream extrusion to generate the final dosage form. Whilst maintaining biocidal efficacy the technology significantly increases the adsorption of the molluscicide metaldehyde (by a factor of 20 compared to standard pellets), reduces the leaching of metaldehyde (by half) from slug pellets thus providing environmental protection. The technology has the potential to be incorporated in to other pesticidal or antimicrobial agrochemicals to reduce environmental mobility of active ingredients.

For further detailed information please download the non-confidential summary pdf.

Patents

Published: WO/2020/020890, EP 19744677.6

References

Not yet published in the scientific literature.