PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS

1. PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS Applying Pesticides Correctly-EPA Core Manual-Unit 3 (formulations)

2. PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS • Pesticides are usually formulated prior to use • Consist of: • Active ingredient • Inert ingredient • Make it safer, more effective, easier to measure, mix, apply, convenient to handle

3. PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS • Manufactured as technical grade then formulated • Formulation is the form sold for use • Sold as a brand name

4. LIQUID FORMULATIONS EMULSIFIABLE CONCENTRATES (EC or E) • Consists of: • Active ingredient (AI) insoluble in water • Solvent • Polar - usually poor (acetone & alcohols) • Nonpolar - usually good (xylene & kerosene)

5. EMULSIFIABLE CONCENTRATES (Con't) • Emulsifiers • Allow the formulation to be mixed with water to form an emulsion (oil in water) • Each gallon of EC may contain 25 to 75% AI (2 to 8 lbs) • Used under a wide range of conditions

6. EMULSIFIABLE CONCENTRATES (Con't) • Advantages • Easy to handle, transport & store • Little agitation required • Not abrasive • Will not plug screens or nozzles • Little visible residue on treated surfaces

7. EMULSIFIABLE CONCENTRATES (Con't) • Disadvantages • Easy to over or under dose • May cause unwanted harm to plants • Easily absorbed through skin • Cause rubber & plastic to deteriorate • Harm painted surfaces • Flammable • Corrosive

8. LIQUID FORMULATIONSSOLUTIONS • Dissolve readily in a liquid solvent such as water or petroleum-based solvent • Will not settle out or separate • Contain AI, solvent and one or more other ingredients • Used in most sprayers, indoors or outdoors

9. SOLUTIONS (Con't)READY-TO-USE (RTU) • Contain correct amount of solvent • No further dilution required • Usually contain small amounts of AI (1% or less)

10. SOLUTIONS (Con't)CONCENTRATE SOLUTIONS (C or LC) • Concentrates that require dilution with solvent • Solvent is occasionally water, more often it is petroleum-based • Some uses of solutions • Structural & institutional pest control • Household pests • Livestock & poultry pests • Space sprays in barns and warehouses • Tree pests • Mosquito control

11. SOLUTIONS (Con't)CONCENTRATE SOLUTIONS (C or LC) • Advantages • No agitation required • Disadvantages • Limited number of formulations available

12. LIQUID FORMULATIONSULTRA-LOW-VOLUME (ULV) • Approach 100% AI • Use as is or with small amounts of water (1/2 gal or less) • Used mostly in outdoor applications • Agricultural • Forestry • Ornamental • Mosquito

13. ULTRA-LOW-VOLUME (ULV) (Con't) • Advantages • Easy to handle, transport & store • Little agitation required • Not abrasive • Will not clog screens or nozzles • Little visible residue on treated surfaces • Disadvantages • High drift hazard • Need special application equipment • Solvents can deteriorate rubber and plastic

14. LIQUID FORMULATIONSFLOWABLES (F or L) • Are insoluble solids • Finely ground AI mixed with a liquid plus inert ingredient to form a suspension • Mixed with water for application

15. FLOWABLES (F or L) (Con't) • Advantages • Seldom clog nozzles • Easy to handle and apply • Disadvantages • Require moderate agitation • May leave a visible residue • May separate • May cake in container or sprayer

16. LIQUID FORMULATIONSAEROSOLS (A) • Contain one or more AI and a solvent • Usually contain a low percentage of AI • Two types • Ready-to-use • Smoke or fog generators

17. AEROSOLS (A) (Con't)READY-TO-USE AEROSOLS • Small, self-contained units • Release pesticide when nozzle valve is triggered • Commercial models hold 5 to 10 lbs and are refillable

18. AEROSOLS (A) (Con't)READY-TO-USE AEROSOLS (Con't) • Advantages • Ready to use • Easily stored • Convenient • Long shelf life • Disadvantages • Limited uses • Inhalation risk • Container is under pressure • Drift

19. AEROSOLS (A) (Con't)SMOKE OR FOG GENERATORS • Machines break the liquid into a fine mist or fog • Use a rapidly whirling disk or heated surface • Used mainly for insect control in: • Greenhouses • Warehouses • Outdoor control of mosquitoes and biting flies

20. AEROSOLS (A) (Con't)SMOKE OR FOG GENERATORS • Advantages • Easy to fill large, enclosed spaces with pesticide • Pesticide is not under pressure • Disadvantages • Requires specialized equipment • Drift • May require respiratory protection when applying

21. LIQUID FORMULATIONSINVERT EMULSIONS • Water soluble pesticide dispersed in an oil carrier • Form large droplets which reduce drift • Used in vegetation control along rights-of-ways • Require special equipment, expensive, reduced coverage

22. DRY FORMULATIONSDUSTS (D) • Most are ready-to-use • Most contain low amounts of AI (0.5 to 10%) • Also contain a very fine dry inert carrier (talc, chalk, clay etc.) • Used to control pests: • In ag applications • On livestock and pets • Seed treatment • Flowers & vegetable gardens

23. DRY FORMULATIONSDUSTS (D) (con’t) • Advantages • No mixing • Can use where a spray may cause damage • Use simple equipment • Effective in hard-to-reach indoor areas • Disadvantages • Drift • May irritate skin, eyes, nose, throat • Poor adhesion to surfaces • Poor distribution of particles on surfaces

24. DRY FORMULATIONSBAITS (B) • AI mixed with food or other pest attractant • Pests killed by eating pesticide contaminated bait • AI is usually low (<5%) • Used inside to control: • ants, roaches, flies, other insects, rodents • Used outside to control: • snails, slugs, insects, vertebrate pests

25. DRY FORMULATIONSBAITS (B) (con’t) • Advantages • Ready to use • Only need to treat small area • Controls pests that move in and out of an area

26. DRY FORMULATIONSBAITS (B) (con’t) • Disadvantages • May be attractive to pets and children • May kill non-target animals • Pest may not eat bait • Dead pest may cause odor problems • Secondary poisoning of non-target animals • Can serve as pest food supply if AI becomes ineffective

27. DRY FORMULATIONSGRANULES (G) • Similar to dust formulations, larger & heavier • Made from adsorptive materials • Clay, corn cobs, walnut shells • AI coats outside of granule or is absorbed • AI is usually low (1 to 20%) • Usually applied to soil to control weeds, nematodes, & insects

28. DRY FORMULATIONSGRANULES (G) (con’t) • Advantages • Ready to use • Low drift hazard • Penetrate dense foliage • Usually requires simple application equipment • *Usually the safest formulation to handle

29. DRY FORMULATIONSGRANULES (G) (con’t) • Disadvantages • Will not stick to target (may move with rain) • May need to incorporate into soil • May need moisture to activate • May be hazardous to birds

30. DRY FORMULATIONSPELLETS (P or PS) • Similar to granular formulations • All are same size and weight • Some fumigants are pellets • Aluminum phosphide

31. DRY FORMULATIONSWETTABLE POWDERS • (WP or W) Dry, finely ground look like dusts • Usually mixed with water • Applied as a spray • 5 to 95% AI • Do not dissolve in water • Will settle out unless constant agitation is used

32. DRY FORMULATIONSWETTABLE POWDERS(con’t) • Advantages • Easy to store, transport & handle • Less phytotoxic than EC • Less skin & eye absorption • Less odor • Method of applying insoluble pesticides as a spray

33. DRY FORMULATIONSWETTABLE POWDERS(con’t) • Disadvantages • Inhalation hazard while mixing • Requires constant agitation • Often clog nozzles and screens • Abrasive • May be difficult to mix and measure • May leave white deposit on surfaces

34. DRY FORMULATIONSSOLUBLE POWDERS (SP or WSP) • Look like WP • Require initial agitation • Dissolve easily • Form a true solution in water • AI ranges from 15 to 95% • Have all advantages of WP • Inhalation hazard while mixing

35. DRY FORMULATIONSWATER-DISPERSIBLE GRANULES (WDG) or DRY FLOWABLES (DF) • Are like WP • AI is prepared as granule-sized particle • Must be mixed with water • Require constant agitation • Same advantages & disadvantages as WP • More easily measured & mixed than WP • Cause less inhalation hazard than WP

36. OTHER FORMULATIONSMICROENCAPSULATED PESTICIDES (M) • May be liquid or dry surrounded by plastic coating • Mixed with water & applied as a spray • Capsule slowly releases pesticide • Provides a timed release of pesticide

37. OTHER FORMULATIONSMICROENCAPSULATED PESTICIDES (M) (con’t) • Advantages • Increased applicator safety • Easy to mix, handle & apply • Timed release • Disadvantages • Require constant agitation • Bees take capsules back to hive

38. OTHER FORMULATIONSFUMIGANTS • Form poisonous gas when applied • Some are liquid under pressure, change to gas when released • Some are liquid & change to gas when exposed to air • Some are solid & change to gas when exposed to water or high humidity

39. OTHER FORMULATIONSFUMIGANTS (con’t) • Advantages • Toxic to wide range of pests • Penetrate cracks, wood, soil, grain • Single treatment kills most pests • Disadvantages • Site must be enclosed or covered • Highly toxic • Require special safety & application equipment

40. ADJUVANTS • Added to formulations to increase effectiveness • Include: surfactants, wetting agents, emulsifiers, spreaders, stickers, penetrants, safeners, etc.