Agrochemical analysis

Analytical solutions for the agrochemical industry

The term agrochemical or agrichemical is used as a generic term for the chemical products or pesticides used in agriculture. These include herbicides, fungicides and insecticides but also synthetic fertilizers, hormones and soil conditioning agents. Agrochemicals play an important role in modern industrialized and intensive farming methods, making possible the growth of foods on previously uncultivatable land and maximizing the yield of a given soil.

Agrochemicals have come a long way since the creation of synthetic fertilizers and the need to better understand and optimize both the agrochemical production process and the formulation make up of agrochemicals is becoming more apparent.

Malvern Panalytical can help with the analysis and optimization of your agrochemical products to assist the development of new agrochemicals and for quality control and production optimization.  

Malvern Panalytical offers a range of analytical tools for the characterization of agrochemical products.

Fertilizer Powders 

Fertilizers can be applied to crops as either solids or liquids, with granulated or powdered solids being the most common form. The physical properties of the powder, including its particle size distribution and particle shape are determined by its chemical composition and processing and are important for optimizing spreading properties and minimizing segregation, especially in bulk blends. Particle size can also affect dilution behaviour and activity rate of the fertilizer.

Colloidal Dispersions
For agrochemicals which are in the form of colloidal suspensions, Zeta potential is a critical metric for optimizing the stability of colloidal dispersions.

Pesticide  Sprays
Pesticides are most commonly applied using spray devices and along with soil particle size, the droplet size of a spray determines the run-off speed of the liquid from the soil as well as properties such as spray drift and evaporation.

Polymers in Agrochemicals
The use of polymers in agriculture is becoming more widespread with superabsorbent hydrogels being used to optimize soil properties and functional polymers used to increase the efficiency and stability of pesticides and herbicides. Polymers are also used to control the atomization behavior of agrochemical sprays.

Physical and chemical analysis of agrochemicals

Malvern Panalytical's range of analytical products and expertise can assist the agrochemical sector by helping to:

  • Optimize spray formulations and spray apparatus to ensure optimum droplet size for a given application or environment
  • Control particle size and shape of powder formulations to ensure optimum and consistent flow, spreading and packing characteristics
  • Improve dissolution behaviour and activity rate of fertilizers and pesticides
  • Classify soil types in terms of their composition and physical characteristics
  • Characterize and synthesize functional polymers for use in agrochemical formulations
レーザ回折式粒子測定装置 マスターサイザーシリーズ

レーザ回折式粒子測定装置 マスターサイザーシリーズ

マスターサイザーは、世界が認めたレーザ回折式粒子径(粒度)分布測定装置です。ナノサイズからミリメータオーダーまで、湿式、乾式問わず各種試料測定に対応します。

スプレーテック

スプレーテック

噴霧粒子およびスプレー液滴径測定

ゼータサイザーシリーズ

ゼータサイザーシリーズ

ナノ粒子、コロイド、生体分子の粒子径、粒子荷電(ゼータ電位)の測定で世界で最も多く用いられているシステム

MicroCal シリーズ

MicroCal シリーズ

生体分子の安定性と相互作用を特性評価するためのマイクロカロリメーター

OMNISEC

OMNISEC

世界最先端のマルチ検出器GPC/SECシステム

技術
動的光散乱法(DLS)
レーザ回折
光散乱
電気泳動光散乱
静的光散乱
示差走査型カロリメトリー(DSC)
等温滴定型カロリメトリー(ITC)
ゲル浸透クロマトグラフィー
サイズ排除クロマトグラフィー (SEC)