New Chapter Published in "Controlled Release of Pesticides for Sustainable Agriculture"

Chapter 9: "Molecularly Imprinted Sensors for Detecting Controlled Release of Pesticides"


Chapter 9

Molecularly Imprinted Sensors for Detecting Controlled Release of Pesticides

Abstract Increasing of the world population and food demand has led to the development of new agricultural practices to improve food production using more effective pesticides. The controlled release formulations of pesticides are used to delay the release of the biologically active components into their environment for a defined period of time. In these formulations, compounds are incorporated in a polymer matrix by different chemical or physical incorporation techniques. Reducing the toxicity of the compounds and unwanted side effects on non-target organisms are prominent characteristics of these formulations. The development of an ideal controlled release pesticide formulation is just as difficult as developing the ideal pesticide. For these reasons, further research works are needed. In this chapter, the recent applications of sensor systems to detect pesticides in environmental studies with particular attention to the fate of pesticides once introduced in water and soil, and also the advantages of their use are discussed. Current trends in the development of sensor technology for rapid assessment of the environment, as well as challenges for practical implementation and future research directions, are discussed. Findings show that the use of sensors to detect pesticides can improve the quality of the environment and help detect polluted sites.