Granulation and Drying of Modified Clay Incorporated Pesticide Formulation

Abstract

The extensive use of chemicals in agriculture, in particular herbicides, is a serious environmental concern. There is an urgent need to develop smart herbicide formulations that combine both optimum bioactivity and minimum dosages. In the current article, an attempt has been made to design the formulation based on one of the most widely used herbicide, Atrazine (AT). This potent herbicide along with “China clay” as the carrier and suitable clay modifiers can be thought as one of the potential way of formulation keeping in view the desired dosage and bioavailability of the same. The China clay was subjected to modification using a surfactant blend of alpha olefinic sulphonate (AOS) and alkyl polyglucosides (APG). The intercalation of the surfactant into the clay was confirmed by XRD and FTIR and the morphology was studied by SEM. The process of granule formulation and the drying was carried out using rapid mix granulator and the fluidized-bed dryer, respectively, at the desired conditions of temperature and relative humidity. These granules were then compared on the basis of key parameters such as dissolution rate, dispersion stability, and other physical properties such as bulk density, angle of repose, and particle size distribution. The study reveals the desired effect of clay modifications on the granules in terms of above-mentioned quality parameters.