Enhanced mosquitocidal efficacy of colloidal dispersion of pyrethroid nanometric emulsion with benignity towards non-target species

The rising threat of vector-borne diseases and environmental pollution has instigated the investigation of nanotechnology-based applications. The current study deals with a nanotechnological application involving the usage of nanometric pesticides such as permethrin nanoemulsion. The mean droplet diameter and zeta potential of the prepared permethrin nanoemulsion were found to be 12.4 ± 1.13 nm and −20.4 ± 0.56 mV, respectively. The temporal stability of permethrin nanoemulsion was found to be 4 days when checked in the external environment. The permethrin nanoemulsion exhibited LC50 values of 0.038 and 0.047 mgL−1 and 0.049 and 0.063 mgL−1 against larval and pupal stages of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Aedes aegypti, respectively. The results obtained from the larvicidal and pupicidal assay were corroborated with the histopathological and biochemical profiles of hosts upon treatment with nanometric pesticide. Further, the biosafety studies of the nanopesticide were carried out against different non-target species like freshwater algae (Closterium), Cicer arietinum (Chickpea) and Danio rerio (Zebrafish), and the mosquitocidal concentration of nanopesticide was found to be non-toxic. The following study, therefore, describes the mosquitocidal efficacy of nanometric pesticide formulated in a greener approach, which can become a substitute for conventional pesticide application in an eco-benign manner. [Display omitted] •T.The study on formulation and characterization of a nanometric emulsion of permethrin.•The larvicidal activity of permethrin nanoemulsion was demonstrated against Aedes aegypti and Culex tritaeniorhynchus.•.The biosafety of the permethrin nanoemulsion against non target species like Closterium, Cicer arietinum and Danio rerio.•The mosquitocidal concentration of nanopesticide was found to be non-toxic to non-target organisms.