India VIT University scholars develop environment-friendly pesticide

Two research scholars of VIT University, Vellore, India, Ms Sahithya K and Ms Devlina Das, and their mentor Professor Nilanjana Mitra have invented PESTOSOL – a unique layered double hydroxide composed of divalent and trivalent metallic product. The product works on a simple principle of adsorption. Its high surface area and crystalline facets provide an ample exposure of functional groups to the pollutant which readily come and bind to the surface of the adsorbent.

Monocrotophos (MCP) is an organophosphate pesticide, applied on plants for the control of various sucking and chewing insects in cotton, peanut, sugar cane, tobacco and other vegetable crops. MCP is extremely toxic to birds and poisonous to mammals causing high irritation to the eye, slurred speech, loss of reflexes, weakness, involuntary muscle contractions and paralysis of the body.

Scientists have already reported bacterial consortia and photocatalytic degradation as the two major remediation techniques for the removal of monocrotophos from soil which involves some limitations such as handling of microbial cultures and their maintenance, cost and concentration of the pollutant. Considering these lacunae, PESTOSOL has been developed by the Bioremediation Laboratory, School of Biosciences and Biotechnology of VIT University, India. The university has recently secured a patent for this product.

PESTOSOL is made up of microelements which do not cause any harm to plants as well as to the environment and also serve as micronutrients for soil replenishment. PESTOSOL is also able to remove organophosphate pesticide, monocrotophos, from soil slurry with an efficiency of up to 75% within 24 hours. A complete degradation of the adsorbed pesticide occurs under natural condition through indigenous microflora present in the soil as well as photodegradation through sunlight.

A few attributes which make PESTOSOL ideal for commercial purpose are: cost effectiveness, least disposal issues, high efficiency in terms of the concentration of pesticide tackled, and ease of handling. Based on the raw material cost, the average costing of the product was calculated to be INR 2.3 per gram. Five grams of the product will be required to remediate one kilogram of soil. On a volume basis, the cost for remediating one litre of soil slurry will be INR 12 approximately.


                   Photocatalic degradation in presence of sunlight