Nanosuspensions: Emerging novel agrochemical formulations

Whereas nanotechnology and nanoparticle engineering has become ubiquitous in the pharmaceutical research and development arena starting as early as the mid-70s (Rosen and Abribat 2005), it has, quite surprisingly, only recently made its way to the field of agrochemical formulations and delivery systems. Contemporary reviews on pesticide formulations do not refer to dispersed systems in the submicron size range (Rodham 2000; Mulqueen 2003). The 24th Symposium on Pesticide Formulation and Delivery Systems, held in Tampa on October 2003 (Goss et al. 2005), did not have a single presentation on this topic. Even an updated cover story on agrochemical R&D in Chemical and Engineering News (Short 2005), which calls attention to the strong similarities between current agro and pharma research and development, also fails to indicate the great potential in nanoparticulate formulations as novel pesticide-delivery systems. In view of the prediction that "within 10 years nanomaterials will directly affect about half of all human health-related products" (Roco 2001), we strongly believe that a comparable transformation and paradigm shift will also take place in agricultural products and services.