Efficient nanostructured platforms for Thiram formulation

HUERTAS NAVARRO, TATIANA A.; TORRES, JAZMÍN; FORESI, MARTINA; FERNÁNDEZ, MARIANA A.; GARCÍA, MÓNICA C.; GRANADOS, ALEJANDRO M.; FRACAROLI, ALEJANDRO M.

Environmental Science: Nano

Royal Society of Chemistry

Año: 2025

2051-8153

Peanut smut, caused by Thecaphora frezii, leads to severe annual yield losses worldwide, particularly inCórdoba, Argentina. The fungicide Thiram (tetramethylthiuram disulfide) is widely used to control thisdisease, but its low aqueous solubility (∼30 mg L−1) is a major limitation to its application. Nanocarrierscould enhance Thiram's solubility and stability, possibly increasing its efficiency in agricultural applications.To test this in our laboratory, Thiram was encapsulated in two different delivery systems: a) zirconiumbasedMOF-808 nanocrystals (nMOF-808) and b) Tween 80/Span 80 (1 : 1) niosomes. nMOF-808 was ableto incorporate up to 2 g of the fungicide per gram of absorbent and keep it colloidally stable in aqueoussuspension for one day. On the other hand, in the presence of niosomes, it was possible to dissolve up to0.1 mM Thiram in a colloidally stable form for approximately one month under appropriate conditions. Bothsystems proved to be photoprotective for the fungicide and were capable of controlled release of theencapsulated Thiram. The incorporation of Thiram into nMOF-808 could be interpreted according to theLangmuir model and kinetically by the intraparticle diffusion model, which is uncommon in the literaturefor the adsorption of neutral molecules in MOFs. These laboratory results indicate that the studiednanoplatforms are promising for future field studies aimed at optimizing efficiency and sustainability in thecontrol of peanut smut and other fungal diseases.