Understanding Green Solvents: A Step Towards Sustainable Chemistry
Solvents are used massively in plant protection product formulation especially in emulsifiable concentrates (EC). In EC, agrochemical actives are solubilized with one or several solvents in the presence of a cocktail of emulsifiers, so as to form an emulsion upon dilution in water before field application.
What are the advantages of EC formulations ?
In ECs, especially for some systemic fungicides & herbicides, the use of solvents can favor the foliar cuticular penetration of the active pesticide, thus they can potentially increase the final biological efficacy. It means that in some cases, they can strongly help to reduce the pesticide active dose rate /ha in comparison with another format of formulation such as aqueous based dispersions, like Suspension Concentrates.
What are the associated challenges ?
Traditional high performance solvents used in EC have been reclassified over the last 10 years as toxic or reprotoxic. It is the case for example for N Methyl Pyrrolidone, THFA, Hexylene glycol. Or they are likely to be re-classified in the close future by ECHA, for example it is the case for acetophenone or specific alkyl benzoates etc.
As a consequence, there is a very strong need on the market to have access to a versatile, sustainable toolbox of green solvents of various phys-chem & polarity profiles.
What are Green Solvents?
Green solvents are solvents that have a reduced impact on human health and the environment compared to traditional solvents. It means that:
- they are not toxic or reprotoxic
- they should have a low hazard profile and be safe to use
- they should not be persistent, so they are preferably readily biodegradable or at least inherently biodegradable
- they can be derived from renewable resources (biobased or from recycled materials), which should translate into a benefit in terms of product carbon footprint compared to conventional solvents.
SYENSQO’S VERSATILE RANGE OF GREEN SOLVENTS
Thanks to several decades of experience, and with support of the Laboratory of Future in Bordeaux, Syensqo has developed a wide range of high performing green solvents and blends with low tox and eco-tox profile. Their Properties, characteristics and unique attributes are highlighted in the table below:
RhodiasolvⓇ Polarclean, a proprietary branched ester-amide, polar water-miscible versatile green solvent by Syensqo:
RhodiasolvⓇ Polarclean displays a very broad solubilization spectrum for many Agrochemical actives at high load, including many categories of cereals fungicides.
When associated for example with a non-water miscible polar solvent such as RhodiasolvⓇ ADMA 10 or 810, it is possible to achieve high load EC for a large variety of combos fungicides (prothioconazole, bixafen, many strobilurins), also herbicides, insecticides.
Thanks to its intrinsic physico-chemical properties and its excellent tox -ecotox profile, it is also a great candidate for substitution of high toxicity polar solvent such as N-Methyl Pyrrolidone, as shown on the comparative solubility spiders, depending on the nature of agrochemical active, for typical loadings.
Additionally, being manufactured from a by-product/waste of the polyamide Nylon 6,6 synthesis process, it has a high circular index of 58%.*
*The Circular index is computed by dividing the number of carbons derived from renewable sources -from biomass or from recycling of already existing materials- by the total number of carbons in an ingredient.