SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PEG-CINNAMON ESSENTIAL OIL NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR APPLICATION AS AN INSECTICIDAL AGENT

Abstract

The study deals with the EO-NPs encapsulated cinnamon essential oil for insecticidal activity. The prepared nanoparticles were subjected to characterization studies using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis, Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis. The DLS analysis revealed that the size of the nanoparticles had a slight increase in diameter after three months of storage. Similarly, the characterization with TEM showed that the prepared nanoparticles were of round or spherical shape with clear morphology without any crack in the external surface. Considerable mortality was observed from the insecticidal bioassay carried out by contact with cinnamon essential oil nanoparticles encapsulated with PEG (EO-NPs) against adult Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus) (Coleoptra : Silvanidae). Further, the cinnamon EO-NPs also produced significant repellency effect on the adult insects. About 85% mortality (Contact Toxicity) was observed with 0.025 mg x cm2 concentration of EO-NPs. The results indicate that the cinnamon essential oil encapsulated with PEG nanoparticles could be an effective alternative to chemical pesticides for the control of stored product grain pests. Further this is the first report on the insecticidal efficacy of PEG encapsulated cinnamon essential oil against Oryzaephilus surinamensis.