Plant biomass substance helps combat weeds

Often treated as waste from the pulp and paper industry, lignin, a polymer responsible for the rigidity of plant cell walls, has increased the stability and effectiveness of herbicide nanoparticles

2025-10-29

(Press-News.org) A study published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering and featured on its cover showed that a fraction obtained from lignin, an organic polymer responsible for the rigidity of plant cell walls, was able to improve the performance of nanoparticles with herbicide. The study was conducted by researchers from three research institutions in the state of São Paulo, Brazil: São Paulo State University (UNESP), the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar).

"Lignin has antioxidant properties and is one of the main components of plant biomass, but it's still underutilized and often treated as waste from the pulp and paper industry. That's why our group sought more sustainable ways to add value to this abundant and renewable material," says Leonardo Fraceto, a professor at the Institute of Science and Technology at UNESP, Sorocaba campus. He is also the Innovation Coordinator at the Center for Research on Biodiversity and Climate Change (CBioClima) and at the National Institute of Science and Technology (INCTNanoAgro). The study was supported by FAPESP through four projects (23/06505-9, 24/01872-6, 24/14149-0, and 23/00335-4).

The substance was obtained from Eucalyptus urograndis, a hardwood tree, and was then subjected to a green process. This process used acetic acid as a solvent to obtain different fractions with distinct structural and chemical properties. Next, nanoparticles were produced using atrazine, an herbicide that combats weeds.

These nanoparticles underwent a series of physical, chemical, and thermal analyses to examine their structure and behavior. "We found that the different lignin fractions have very distinct properties. Some are richer in phenolic groups. Others have a higher molar mass or promote greater thermal stability. These differences directly impact the formation and performance of the nanoparticles," Fraceto explains.

Some fractions are more effective at protecting polymeric materials (composed of macromolecules, proteins, and cellulose, for example) from ultraviolet ray-induced degradation, while others act as stabilizers in substance release systems. These results demonstrate that lignin is not a single, uniform waste product but rather a material that can be customized for different applications.

According to Fraceto, this finding is significant because, although using lignin as a surfactant is promising for the efficient distribution of active ingredients in agrochemical formulations, several challenges must be overcome. One major problem is the variability in its structure, which can affect its consistency and performance as a stabilizing agent.

In the case of atrazine nanoparticles, using the lignin fraction increased the stability and efficiency of herbicide release. Using specific lignin fractions was crucial to optimizing nanoparticle performance. The developed formulations effectively controlled black jack (Bidens pilosa L.) and green pigweed (Amaranthus viridis L.), demonstrating their potential for sustainable agricultural pest management.

"Not only were we able to use a simple, environmentally friendly process, but we also took advantage of an abundant byproduct in Brazil, opening up possibilities for the bioeconomy," Fraceto celebrates. "This type of study connects materials science, sustainability, and technological innovation, bringing academia closer to solutions for current challenges, such as developing greener agricultural inputs."

About São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)
The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Veterans with epilepsy after traumatic brain injury may have higher mortality rates

2025-10-29

MINNEAPOLIS — Military veterans who develop epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury may have a higher mortality rate in the following years than veterans who develop epilepsy with no previous traumatic brain injury, according to a study published on October 29, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “While these findings need to be validated in future studies, we recommend that people who develop epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury are closely monitored, and, especially if seizures do not respond well to treatment, are prioritized for surgery or changing to new medications without delay,” said study ...

Who is more likely to lose vision due to high brain pressure?

2025-10-29

MINNEAPOLIS — If untreated, a disorder of high brain pressure called idiopathic intracranial hypertension can lead to vision loss. But this disorder can develop without noticeable symptoms, making it hard to catch. A new study looks at how these vision problems develop and proposes a way to predict who will develop issues. The study is published on October 29, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “The number of cases of idiopathic intracranial hypertension has been increasing, and it mainly affects young women, so we need more information about who is more likely to develop vision problems and how that process ...

Scripps Research professor awarded $3.2 million to advance type 1 diabetes research

2025-10-29

LA JOLLA, CA—Luc Teyton, professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, has received a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to help answer how type 1 diabetes manifests and develop potential therapeutics to reverse or prevent the disease. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the cells that produce insulin—a critical hormone that regulates the blood sugar of the body. Approximately 1.6 million Americans live with type 1 diabetes, and while genetics play a strong role in susceptibility, ...

Anna Wuttig wins Bayer Foundation Early Excellence in Science Award

2025-10-29

CHICAGO, IL – The Bayer Foundation has named Dr. Anna Wuttig, the Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, as the recipient of its Early Excellence in Science Award in the Chemistry category. The award celebrates young, international researchers who are pioneering their respective fields, recognizing Dr. Wuttig for her innovative work “advancing electrocatalysis for energy storage and conversion, and medicinal chemistry.” Dr. ...

Electric vehicles outperform gasoline cars in lifetime environmental impact

2025-10-29

After two years of use, lithium-ion battery electric vehicles (BEVs) result in a reduction in cumulative carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions compared to fossil-based internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Pankaj Sadavarte of Duke University, US, and colleagues. The transportation sector accounts for 28% of US greenhouse gas emissions in the US and growing consensus supports electric vehicle adoption to address climate and air quality challenges. However, ongoing debate surrounds whether lithium-ion batteries are truly cleaner ...

Kilimanjaro has lost 75 percent of its natural plant species over the last century

2025-10-29

A new study suggests that, between 1911 and 2022, land-use change was the primary direct cause of the loss of 75% of natural plant species on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Andreas Hemp of the University of Bayreuth, Germany, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on October 29, 2025. Kilimanjaro is a dormant tropical volcano in Tanzania and Africa’s tallest mountain. Millions of people living in the area rely on Kilimanjaro’s diverse ecosystems for such benefits as timber, food, and water regulation. But the variety of species found in these ecosystems—their biodiversity—is declining ...

Spider web “decorations” may help pinpoint location of captured prey

2025-10-29

The long-standing mystery around why spider webs sometimes feature “extra touches” known as stabilimenta has been revisited in a new study which suggests that their wave-propagation effects could help spiders locate captured prey. Gabriele Greco of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on October 29, 2025. Many spider species build spiral wheel-shaped webs—orb webs—to capture flying prey, and many can incorporate stabilimenta into the web structure. These “decorations” may ...

Ancient tombs reveal the story of Chinese history

2025-10-29

Tombs scattered across China, built between the 4,000-year old Xia Dynasty and the modern era, reflect the political and social patterns of Chinese history, according to a study published October 29, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Quanbao Ma from the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, China, and colleagues. The research team mapped the location of ancient tombs in China to search for patterns in their distribution across the country and throughout history. They found that both socioeconomic factors and geography may have influenced ...

1 in 3 university students surveyed from a Parisian suburb report being unable to access desired food, with this food insecurity associated with academic dropout

2025-10-29

1 in 3 university students surveyed from a Parisian suburb report being unable to access desired food, with this food insecurity associated with academic dropout Article URL: http://plos.io/4oiDEbt Article title: Correlates of food insecurity among university students in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area of the Paris suburbs: A cross-sectional study Author countries: France Funding: HD : doctoral scolarship from Université Sorbonne Paris Nord https://www.univ-spn.fr/ The University administration conducted the data collection. The funders had no role in study design, data analysis, ...

Researchers uncover oldest 3D burrow systems in Hubei's Shibantan Biota

2025-10-29

A research team from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) has made progress in studying the Shibantan Biota in Yichang, Hubei Province, uncovering the oldest known complex three-dimensional burrow systems to date. Preserved in approximately 550-million-year-old strata, these trace fossils show that complex animal behaviors were modifying the seafloor environment nearly 10 million years earlier than previously thought. The Ediacaran–Cambrian transition, around 539 million years ago, marks ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Rapid blood pressure fluctuations linked to early signs of brain degeneration in older adults

How microbes control mammalian cell growth

Emergency department pilot program serves rural families

Amid renewable-energy boom, study explores options for electricity market

Study finds improvement in knee pain with exercise and physical therapy

Researchers uncover key mechanism behind chemotherapy-induced nerve damage

Mayo Clinic researchers find enhancing the body’s ‘first responder’ cells may boost immune therapy for cancer

Secret to a long life? In bowhead whales, a protein repairs damaged DNA

MIT study: Identifying kids who need help learning to read isn’t as easy as A, B, C