Biosulfur Aqueous Suspension for Stable Pesticide Formulations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sulfur-based pesticide formulations, particularly those using the Claus process, face challenges in achieving stable liquid suspensions with optimal particle sizes for effective fungicidal and insecticidal use, leading to issues like sedimentation, phytotoxicity, and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
An aqueous suspension comprising elemental biosulfur with an average particle size of less than 2.5 micrometers, combined with surfactants, thickening agents, and antifoaming agents, which enhances storage stability, pourability, and reduces phytotoxicity while maintaining efficacy as a fungicide and insecticide.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If Claus sulfur is used to produce water-based suspension concentrate formulations, then the formulation can be applied as a liquid pesticide, but during storage the sulfur particles form a coalescent sediment layer that cannot be re-suspended and clusters block spray nozzles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of sulfur by using biologically produced sulfur instead of Claus sulfur. This biological sulfur has different surface properties and particle characteristics that prevent coalescence and sedimentation, allowing stable liquid suspension concentrate formulations without the storage problems of conventional sulfur
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses surfactants as intermediary substances to mediate between the sulfur particles and the aqueous medium. These surfactants adsorb onto the sulfur particle surfaces, providing steric or electrostatic stabilization that prevents particle aggregation and maintains uniform suspension during storage
2Ease of manufacture
If sulfur wettable powder formulations are used, then the pesticide can be produced and applied, but the formulations are dusty and pose health risks including eye irritation, inhalation risk and skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from solid powder formulations to liquid suspension concentrate formulations. This phase transition from solid to liquid eliminates the dusting problem entirely, as the sulfur is suspended in an aqueous medium rather than being in dry powder form, thereby eliminating inhalation and eye irritation risks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite formulation system combining sulfur particles with aqueous medium, surfactants, and other formulation aids. This composite liquid formulation maintains the pesticidal activity of sulfur while eliminating the harmful dust characteristics of pure powder formulations
3Object-affected harmful factors
If granulated sulfur pesticides are produced, then the user safety is improved compared to wettable powder, but a relatively high amount of energy is required for production which adds significantly to the costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the granulation step from the formulation process entirely by adopting a liquid suspension concentrate approach. This eliminates the energy-intensive granulation operation while maintaining improved user safety characteristics, as the liquid formulation inherently reduces dust exposure without requiring granulated form
4Reliability
If smaller sulfur particles are used to improve fungicidal effectiveness, then the bioactivity increases, but the particles settle faster and form harder to re-suspend sediment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs surfactants as intermediary agents that adsorb onto small sulfur particle surfaces. These surfactants provide steric or electrostatic repulsion forces that counteract gravitational settling, allowing small bioactive particles to remain stably suspended without forming compact, irretrievable sediment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface properties of sulfur particles through biological production and/or chemical modification. This alters the particle surface charge or hydrophilicity, reducing inter-particle attraction and aggregation, thereby maintaining suspension stability even with small particle sizes that provide high bioactivity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an aqueous suspension comprising elemental biosulfur and at least one surfactant. The invention further relates to the use of the aqueous suspension as a fertilizer, fungicide and/or insecticide, and to a method for protecting an agricultural plant from a plant disease by applying the aqueous composition to an agricultural plant.