Pesticide Formulations and Pesticide Formulations and AdjuvantsAdjuvants
Montana State UniversityMontana State University
Pesticide Safety Education ProgramPesticide Safety Education Program
What is a formulation?What is a formulation?
How a pesticide is packaged.
Contains:– Active Ingredient– Inert Ingredient
Active IngredientsActive Ingredients
Has the pesticide effect
Its on the label
Properties of the a.i. influences the type of
formulation
Inert IngredientsInert Ingredients
“Inactive”
ingredients mixed with a.i. To make
formulation easier to handle or store.
Toxic or non-toxic
SolubleSoluble
Advantage:– ☺ Will not separate or settle out when
mixed with water.– ☺ Not as harmful to non-target plants
and animals
Disadvantage:– Not many disadvantages.– Readily absorbs into skin
Emulsified ConcentratesEmulsified Concentrates
ADVANTAGES– ☺ Little agitation required. Won’t settle out when equipment
is turned off.– ☺ Relatively non-abrasive.– ☺ Easy to handle, store and transport
DISADVANTAGES– Because of the solvents and emulsifiers, EC’s are a hazardto non-target plants and animals.– Easily absorbed through skin of plants and humans.– Solvents may cause rubber or plastic hoses & gaskets todeteriorate.
Dry FormulationsDry Formulations
WP – Wettable powder
F or DF – Dry Flowable
WDG – Water Dispersible Granule
D -Dust
P or G – Pellets or Granules
M or ME – Micro-Encapsulated
Wettable PowdersWettable Powders
ADVANTAGES– ☺ Easy to store & transport. Smaller packaging. Won’tfreeze.– ☺ Less inert ingredients in formulation.– ☺ Lower toxicity to plants than liquid formulations.– The inert ingredients, clay or talc, are generally harmless to
plantsDISADVANTAGES– Inhalation hazard when pouring and mixing. It’s dry!– Needs vigorous & constant agitation in the spray tank.– Abrasive to many pumps and nozzles.
FlowableFlowable
ADVANTAGES
☺ Easy to handle and apply
☺ Seldom clogs nozzles. Finer ground carrier.
DISADVANTAGES
May leave visible residue.
Requires agitation
Effects of Different FormulationsEffects of Different FormulationsFormulations Hazards Phytox Equipment Agitate Compactable
M or ME Dermal Safe ok Yes FairG or P Inhale Safe NA NA NAD Inhale Safe NA NA NAS Dermal Safe Non-abrasive No FairF or FL Dermal Maybe abrasive Yes FairEC Dermal Maybe Seals, gaskets No FairWP Inhale Safe abrasive Yes High
Interaction problems with Interaction problems with combining Formulationscombining Formulations
Additive effects
Synergistic responses
Antagonism
Enhancement
AdjuvantsAdjuvants
Additives that are added to a spray solution in order to enhance or modify the performance of the spray mixture. #1 - Surfactants/wetting agents#2 - Oils#3 - Fertilizers#4 – Utility
Anti-foaming agentsCompatibility agents Drift control agents Emulsification aidsSuspension aids
#1 – Surfactants / Oils#1 – Surfactants / Oils
A broad category of adjuvants that facilitate and enhance the absorbing, emulsifying, dispersing, spreading, sticking, wetting and penetrating properties of pesticides. Some pesticides like Roundup Pro already have surfactants added. (14.5 %)
Why SurfactantsWhy Surfactants
Because of the high surface tension of water, spray mixture droplets maintain their roundness and can sit on the leaf hairs or leaf surface without much of the mixture actually contacting the leaf.
Surfactants reduce angle and promote more absorption
Tips continuedTips continued
Costs– Generally, non-ionic surfactants and crop oil
concentrates are the least expensive– Nitrogen surfactants, esterified crop oils,
organosilicones (most expensive)
What conditions follow an application?– Max rainfastness: esterified seed oils, organo-
silicones, nitrogen surfactants– Not all surfactants have the same amount of
rainfastness
What formulation is this?What formulation is this?
FLOWABLEFLOWABLE
DERMAL ABSORPTIONDERMAL ABSORPTION
Examples:Bravo 720 F fungicideFuradan 4 F insecticide
Question #2Question #2What formulation is this?What formulation is this?
Powdered Hand SoapPowdered Hand Soap
Wettable PowderWettable Powder
Easily InhaledEasily Inhaled
Examples:Sevin 50 W insecticideKerb 50 W herbicideSniper 50 W insecticide
READ THE LABELREAD THE LABEL
This will give you an idea of what type of This will give you an idea of what type of adjuvant if any should be used.adjuvant if any should be used.
Union Carbide Pesticide Manufacturing PlantUnion Carbide Pesticide Manufacturing PlantDecember 3December 3rdrd, 1984, 19848,000 initial dead8,000 initial dead15,000 more within 10 years15,000 more within 10 years500,000 suffer injuries500,000 suffer injurieswater wells near the site show overall chemical water wells near the site show overall chemical contamination to be 500 times higher than the contamination to be 500 times higher than the maximum limits recommended by the World maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization. Health Organization. cancer, genetic defects (birth defects), and liver cancer, genetic defects (birth defects), and liver and kidney damage. and kidney damage.
Bhopal, India DisasterBhopal, India Disaster
How does this relate to youHow does this relate to you
We drink well waterWe drink well water– 50% of Montana Citizens drink well water50% of Montana Citizens drink well water– 95% of those living in agricultural 95% of those living in agricultural
communitiescommunities
Restricted Use Applicators of Major Restricted Use Applicators of Major Concern in Montana Ag. AreasConcern in Montana Ag. Areas– You are the greatest risk factor for your own You are the greatest risk factor for your own
healthhealth
Spill – What do we do?Spill – What do we do?
Stepped ConcernsStepped Concerns– SafetySafety– ControlControl– ContainmentContainment– ReportingReporting– CleanupCleanup
Have On HandHave On Hand– AbsorbentAbsorbent– ShovelShovel– BagsBags– Emergency ContactsEmergency Contacts
How do we reduce risk?How do we reduce risk?
#1 – Mixing & Loading Locations#1 – Mixing & Loading Locations
#2 - Filling Tanks#2 - Filling Tanks
#3 – Read Label#3 – Read Label
What factors are at play in What factors are at play in groundwater contamination?groundwater contamination?
#1 – Pesticide Factors#1 – Pesticide Factors-Persistence-Persistence-Mobility-Mobility-Rate-Rate
#2 – Soil Factors#2 – Soil Factors-Texture/OM/Cracked Soil-Texture/OM/Cracked Soil
#3 – Site Conditions#3 – Site Conditions-Weather-Weather-Shallow Groundwater-Shallow Groundwater
Types of Soil Texture & Types of Soil Texture & PermeabilityPermeability
Texture PermeabilitySand, Loamy Sand Very Rapid and RapidSandy Loam Moderately RapidLoam, Silt Loam ModerateSandy Clay Loam Moderately SlowClay Loam, Silty Clay Loam Moderately SlowSandy Clay Moderately SlowSilty Clay, Clay Slow and Very Slow
Leaching PotentialLeaching Potential
HerbicideSolubility
(ppm)Half-life(days)
Koc(ml/g)
LeachingPotential
2,4-D acid 890 10 80 medium
clopyralid 1,000 <30 6 high
dicamba 6,500 20 8 high
glyphosate 90,000 50 24,000 very low
metsulfuron* 6,000 30 40 low
picloram 430 30-200 16 high
Runoff RiskRunoff Risk
Herbicide LeachabilityRunoff
Potential2,4-D amine medium medium
clopyralid high low
dicamba high low
glyphosate very low high
metsulfuron low medium
picloram high low
Detected in Montana?Detected in Montana?
Herbicide LeachabilityRunoff
PotentialDetectedIn Water
2,4-D amine medium medium yes
clopyralid high low
dicamba high low yes
glyphosate very low high
metsulfuron low medium
picloram high low yes
What are variables areWhat are variables are
Site Best Case Worst CaseType valley bottom road by streamRate (lbs/ac) 0.25 1.0Soil Texture loam sandy loamSand 33% 61%C Horizon 32-59 in. 8-20 inOrganic Matter 2-4% 0.8-2%Groundwater 30 ft. 3-9 ft.Surface Water 1/3 mile 3 to 110 ft.Slope <1% 4.5 - 15%
Some chemicals are labeled for Some chemicals are labeled for use on Riparian areasuse on Riparian areas
2.4-D Aquatic2.4-D Aquatic
RodeoRodeo
BanvelBanvel
Escort, TellarEscort, Tellar
KreniteKrenite
PlateauPlateau
RoundupRoundup
Bhopal RECAPBhopal RECAP
Groundwater contamination has many Groundwater contamination has many affects varying on contaminant involvedaffects varying on contaminant involved– Elderly, and children at most riskElderly, and children at most risk
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