Bovine Biowaste Derived Nanocellulose for Pyrethrin Stabilization and Controlled Release

Abstract Sustainable industrial and food production technologies are in demand with the heightened public environmental consciousness. For example, there is growing demand for organic agriculture where synthetic pesticides are replaced with biopesticides. While effective in the short term, biopesticides are unstable and decompose rapidly in nature, losing their pesticidal action. As such the use of biopesticides can be uneconomical. Pyrethrins are a good example of biopesticides that have found widespread application in both crop and animal husbandry. To improve pyrethrin stability, this article will demonstrate bovine biowaste derived nanocellulose (BBNC) as an effective support for stabilizing pyrethrins, and for controlled release for up to one month. The BBNC demonstrated functional similarities to commercial cellulose nanocrystals, hence the article points to a potential valorization technology potential for bovine biowaste.