Biodegradable dual stimuli responsive alginate based microgels for controlled agrochemicals release and soil remediation

To meet the growing food demand of increasing world population while reducing the harmful environmental effects of agrochemicals, development of smart nanoformulation is of prime importance. Herein, dual stimuli responsive alginate based microgels (OAlgDP MGs) (approximate to 160 nm) are developed for controlled release of agrochemicals and soil remediation. These microgels are prepared using octyl amine functionalized alginate which is crosslinked by 3, 3 '-dithiopropionohydrazide crosslinker providing both hydrazone and disulfide bonds in microgels network. OAlgDP MGs are further loaded with hydrophobic diuron herbicide displaying approximate to 85 % encapsulation efficiency. Sustained release of diuron is obtained in 2 mM GSH (approximate to 100 % after 380 h) and at pH 5 (approximate to 72 % after 240 h). Furthermore, OAlgDP MGs are nontoxic up to 150 mu g/mL against HEK293T cells while their reduced form is capable of capturing the heavy metal ions (Cu2+ and Hg2+) showing the potential of the developed system for moving toward sustainable agriculture.

Automated summary

In order to meet the increasing food demand of the growing world population and reduce the environmental impact of agrochemicals, the development of smart nanoformulation is crucial. This study focuses on the development of dual stimuli responsive alginate based microgels for controlled release of agrochemicals and soil remediation. The microgels, prepared using functionalized alginate and a crosslinker, showed sustained release of the herbicide diuron in specific environmental conditions and demonstrated potential for sustainable agriculture.