Pesticide compositions including polymeric adjuvants
View Patent ↗Pesticidal compositions of improved effectiveness are provided, including a pesticide (e.g., an insecticide or herbicide) together with a copolymer adjuvant or additive selected from the group consisting of acid or salt copolymers containing individual quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties. The compositions of the invention provide multiple-fold increases in effectiveness, as compared with an equal amount of the pesticide in the absence of the copolymer.
1. A pesticide composition comprising respective quantities of a pesticide and a copolymer consisting of individual quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties, wherein said quantities total at least 93% by weight of itaconic and maleic moieties.
2. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said pesticide selected from the group consisting of insecticides and herbicides and mixtures thereof.
3. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said composition having at least about a two-fold greater pesticidal effectiveness, as compared with an equal amount of the pesticide without the copolymer.
4. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said copolymer being a copolymer containing from about 10-90% by weight maleic moieties, and from about 90-10% by weight itaconic moieties.
5. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said copolymer being present of from about 0.05-10% by weight, based upon the total weight of the composition taken as 100% by weight.
6. The pesticide composition of claim 5 , said level being from about 0.2-2% by weight.
7. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said composition being an aqueous composition and having a pH of from about 5-9.
8. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said pesticide being glyphosate.
9. A method of pesticidal treatment comprising the step of applying a pesticide composition to a surface, said composition comprising respective quantities of a pesticide and a copolymer consisting of individual quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties, wherein said quantities total at least 93% by weight of itaconic and maleic moieties.
10. The method of claim 9 , said pesticide selected from the group consisting of insecticides and herbicides and mixtures thereof.
11. The method of claim 9 , said composition having at least about a two-fold greater pesticidal effectiveness, as compared with an equal amount of the pesticide without the copolymer.
12. The method of claim 9 , said copolymer being a copolymer containing from about 10-90% by weight maleic moieties, and from about 90-10% by weight itaconic moieties.
13. The method of claim 9 , said copolymer being present of from about 0.05-10% by weight, based upon the total weight of the composition taken as 100% by weight.
14. The method of claim 13 , said level being from about 0.2-2% by weight.
15. The method of claim 9 , said composition being an aqueous composition and having a pH of from about 5-9.
16. The method of claim 9 , said pesticide being glyphosate.
17. The pesticide composition of claim 1 , said copolymer being essentially free of any moieties other than said maleic and itaconic moieties.
18. The method of claim 9 , said copolymer being essentially free of any moieties other than said maleic and itaconic moieties.