Controlled Release Aquatic Herbicide Granules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for controlling aquatic weeds, including mechanical, biological, and chemical approaches, face challenges such as environmental impact, labor intensity, variability in efficacy, and potential harm to non-target species, necessitating improved and alternative aquatic herbicide formulations.

Innovation Solution

Development of solid aquatic herbicidal compositions that incorporate systemic herbicides like auxin mimics and ALS inhibitors, with controlled release profiles to enhance efficacy, using granular formulations with polymeric coatings to manage the release of herbicides over an extended period, ensuring effective exposure to target weeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If immediate release herbicide formulations are used, then rapid herbicide availability is achieved, but environmental impact and harm to non-target species increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveherbicide release speedVSAvoidenvironmental impact

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the release rate parameter of the herbicide from immediate to controlled release by incorporating it into granular formulations with specific physical and chemical properties. This modifies the temporal distribution of herbicide release, allowing rapid initial release followed by sustained release over time, thereby reducing peak environmental impact while maintaining efficacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The controlled release formulation ensures continuous herbicide availability over an extended period rather than a single peak release. This continuous action allows the herbicide to remain effective against target weeds while gradually reducing concentration in the environment, minimizing harm to non-target species through sustained low-level release.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If controlled release formulations are used, then environmental impact is reduced, but herbicide efficacy may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidherbicide efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The formulation maintains continuous herbicide release over time, ensuring that effective concentrations are continuously available to target weeds. This continuous action compensates for the reduced peak concentration by extending the duration of effective exposure, thereby maintaining overall efficacy while reducing environmental impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts the release rate parameter to achieve a balance between environmental safety and herbicide efficacy. By controlling the release kinetics to provide sustained low-level release rather than peak concentration, the formulation maintains effectiveness while minimizing environmental harm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If rapid plant decay occurs, then weed control is achieved quickly, but dissolved oxygen content decreases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweed control speedVSAvoiddissolved oxygen depletion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controlled release formulation provides sustained herbicide action over time rather than rapid peak action. This extends the period over which weeds are killed gradually, allowing dissolved oxygen to be replenished between decay events, thereby reducing excessive oxygen depletion while maintaining effective weed control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The controlled release formulations provide prolonged delivery of herbicides, enhancing control of aquatic plants by maintaining effective herbicide levels over multiple days, reducing environmental impact, and minimizing harm to non-target species.

Implementation Method 1

controlled release formulations provide prolonged delivery of herbicides

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

granular formulations with polymeric coatings to manage the release of herbicides

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS9137987B2Moderated release aquatic herbicide formulations

Publication Date: 2015.09.22 SEPRO CORP

AI summary

Described are preferred solid herbicidal formulations that include one or more herbicides in combination with a solid carrier, as well as methods of manufacture and use thereof. Solid herbicidal formulations are designed to deliver a moderated release of the incorporated load of herbicidal agent(s), for example to enhance uptake by target plants and/or the ability to spatially control a plant population within a body of water that exhibits flow.