As global demand for food continues to rise, pesticide usage is intensifying—bringing unintended ecological consequences. Nanopesticides, which allow for controlled release and targeted action, are positioned as a more efficient and less environmentally disruptive solution. However, uncertainties persist, particularly regarding their fate in ecosystems post-application. Traditional risk assessment methods often neglect early-stage emissions and fail to capture the complex behaviors of engineered nanomaterials in natural environments. The lack of robust ecotoxicity data and the absence of life-cycle-based regulatory guidelines further limit our understanding. These challenges underscore the urgent need to examine nanopesticide risks from synthesis to environmental degradation.
To address these concerns, researchers from Jinan University and the University of Wisconsin–Madison published a study (DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2025.100565) in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology on April 25, 2025. The team evaluated nano-encapsulated version (nano-IMI) and conventional imidacloprid (IMI) using a novel framework that integrates life cycle assessment (LCA), the USEtox ecotoxicity model, and the SimpleBox4Nano/SimpleBox fate model. This approach enabled the researchers to assess both production-stage environmental burdens and freshwater ecotoxicity, offering one of the most complete comparisons of nano- versus conventional pesticide formulations to date. The researchers chose imidacloprid, a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide, as a representative case. Their analysis showed that producing nano-IMI resulted in approximately four times greater ecotoxicity than conventional IMI, mainly due to the energy-intensive encapsulation process. However, once released into the environment, nano-IMI behaved differently. Modeling across various rainfall conditions revealed that nano-IMI had significantly lower freshwater emissions, thanks to its high soil retention and aggregation tendencies in water. Even when accounting for the eventual release of the active ingredient from nano-IMI, the overall ecological impact remained far below that of conventional IMI. These results suggest that although nano-formulations may increase production-related impacts, they can drastically reduce environmental harm during use and disposal.
“By combining traditional life cycle analysis with nano-specific fate modeling, we’ve introduced a robust tool for assessing the total environmental impact of nano-agrochemicals,” said Dr. Fan Wu, senior author of the study. “Our findings suggest that while nano-pesticides may require more resources to produce, their environmental behavior post-application can be far more favorable. This research lays the groundwork for smarter pesticide regulation and highlights the need to consider environmental risks across the entire product life cycle—not just at the point of use.”
This study marks an important step toward regulatory frameworks that reflect the unique behaviors of nanopesticides. The integrated modeling approach allows decision-makers to weigh the environmental trade-offs of production against long-term ecological risks. With the global nanopesticide market expected to grow from $735 million in 2024 to over $2 billion by 2032, such insights are both timely and essential. The research also highlights opportunities to improve manufacturing through green chemistry and sustainable nanocarrier design. Ultimately, full life-cycle assessments can help steer innovation toward agrochemical solutions that protect crops without compromising the health of aquatic ecosystems.
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References
DOI
10.1016/j.ese.2025.100565
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2025.100565
Funding information
This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42107286), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2023A1515011215), Guangzhou Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2024A04J9882), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (21623214), and the Department of Education of Guangdong Province (2020KCXTD005).
About Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (ISSN 2666-4984) is an international, peer-reviewed, and open-access journal published by Elsevier. The journal publishes significant views and research across the full spectrum of ecology and environmental sciences, such as climate change, sustainability, biodiversity conservation, environment & health, green catalysis/processing for pollution control, and AI-driven environmental engineering. The latest impact factor of ESE is 14, according to the Journal Citation ReportTM 2024.