Scientists at the University of Delaware have developed a new eco-friendly method for developing insecticides from renewable biomass.The new insecticides offer advantages not only on cost/efficiency scale but also sustainability of production processes.
Bridging the Gap
Led by UD Professors Dion Vlachos and Michael Crossley, the team has developed new target-specific, eco-friendly insecticidal active ingredients.
The lead author of the work, Professor Takashi Uemura, explained: “A key point of this experiment is the clever grafting of functional molecules” onto commercially available plant-based atoms prepared from biomass materials such as wood pulp and straw by their own novel method. They use this method develop a novel class of chemical that has natural insecticidal properties and help solve the urgent need for reducing harmful chemicals in our food, water, and environment.
Sustainable Circularity
One of the crucial benefits of the UD method is its primary focus on sustainability and circularity. The study can therefore produce valuable insecticidal compounds by converting waste materials – to which they are normally lost, including lignocellulosic biomass from the pulp and paper industry.
By using this method, greenhouse emissions from pesticide production can be eliminated, along with other environmental cost added to conventional fossil fuel derived pesticides available in the market. Moreover, their technoeconomic analysis revealed that the furfural-based molecular compounds of the team are 2-4 times less expensive than other commercially available solutions, thereby being cheaper and more widely-used.
Conclusion
This revolutionary work by the UD research team could change the game for the pesticide industry and provide a sustainable option that is friendlier to our planet as an alternative to traditional insecticides. With renewable biomass resources along with innovative molecular engineering, they laid the groundwork for the future of agricultural productivity and environmental protection to be joined hand in hand.
