News Release

Pesticides need sunscreen to beat the heat

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Society of Chemical Industry

A pesticide with a new in-built sunscreen will help farmers beat the heat in crop protection. This means that the bug sprays last longer, as they are protected from the strong rays of sunshine, reports Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. This is becoming increasingly important as temperatures rise, with the Met Office announcing that several heat records were broken in the UK this year.

The team of scientists, led by Dr Li-Xiong Wen, has developed a new type of capsule that shields pesticides from UV light. The research, to be published on Monday in Pest Management Science (DOI 10.1002/ps.1301) shows that the pesticides can be exposed to sunlight for at least twice as long without degrading.

Dr Wen, of the Bejing University of Chemical Technology, believes that the pesticide will be more effective as a result, thereby reducing the amount required and the cost to the farmer. It could also mean cleaner waters, as the risks of excess pesticide contamination will be lowered.

"It can be used for many other pesticides. We are considering it as a platform carrier material for pesticides and have looked at several pesticides, including this oil-soluble avermectin, and water-soluble validamycin, and a couple of others, all demonstrating the same behaviors," Wen said.

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Chemistry & Industry
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About Chemistry & Industry
Chemistry & Industry magazine from SCI delivers news and comment from the interface between science and business. As well as covering industry and science, it focuses on developments that will be of significant commercial interest in five- to ten-years time. Published twice-monthly and free to SCI Members, it also carries authoritative features and reviews. Opinion-formers worldwide respect Chemistry & Industry for its independent insight.

About Pest Management Science
Pest Management Science (PMSci) is an international, peer-reviewed journal of research and technology on crop protection and pest control. Since its launch in 1970, the journal has become the premier forum for papers covering all aspects of research and development, application, use and impact on the environment of products designed for pest control and crop protection.

PMSci is an SCI journal, published by John Wiley & Sons, on behalf of the Society of Chemical Industry, and is available in print (ISSN: 1526-498X) Online (ISSN: 1526-4998) via Wiley InterScience http://www.interscience.wiley.com For further information about the journal go to http://www.interscience.wiley.com/pestmanagementscience

About SCI
SCI is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join, and the Society offers a chance to share information between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental science and safety. As well as publishing new research and running events, SCI has a growing database of member specialists who can give background information on a wide range of scientific issues. Originally established in 1881, SCI is a registered charity with members in over 70 countries.

About Wiley

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., based in Chichester, England, is the largest subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., provides must-have content and services to customers worldwide. Their core businesses include scientific, technical, and medical journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centres in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb. Wiley's recently re-launched Internet site can be accessed at http://www.wileyeurope.com


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