Pest control composition
A composition contains at least one pest control active and a mixture of unsaturated C12-C26 fatty acids and/or salts thereof and saturated C6-C14 fatty acids and/or salts thereof. The pest control active is preferably at least one plant essential oil. The composition is suitably in the form of an emulsion, particularly a transparent microemulsion. The mixture of fatty acids and/or salts thereof can be used as part of, or as the sole, emulsifying system. The emulsion can exhibit improved pest control properties.
1. An emulsion composition, comprising:
i) at least one pest control active; and
ii) a mixture of:
a) unsaturated C12-C26 fatty acids and/or salts thereof; and
b) saturated C6-C14 fatty acids and/or salts thereof, wherein greater than 70% by weight of the saturated fatty acids comprise 6 to 12 carbon atoms;
wherein the ratio of the unsaturated fatty acid component to the saturated fatty acid component in the composition is in the range from 0.2 to 5:1 by weight.
2. The emulsion composition according to claim 1 comprising 0.5 to 40% by weight of pest control active.
3. The emulsion composition according to claim 1 wherein the pest control active is thyme oil, geraniol, and/or wintergreen oil.
4. The emulsion composition according to claim 1 comprising 3 to 50% by weight of the mixture of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof.
5. The emulsion composition according to claim 1 wherein the mean number of carbon atoms of the unsaturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof is at least 4 carbon atoms greater than the mean number of carbon atoms present in the saturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof.
6. An emulsion comprising;
(i) an oil phase,
(ii) at least one pest control active,
(iii) a mixture of:
a) unsaturated C12-C26 fatty acids and/or salts thereof; and
b) saturated C6-C14 fatty acids and/or salts thereof, wherein greater than 70% by weight of the saturated fatty acids comprise 6 to 12 carbon atoms;
(iv) an optional organic cosolvent, and
(v) water;
wherein the ratio of the unsaturated fatty acid component to the saturated fatty acid component in the emulsion is in the range from 0.2 to 5:1 by weight.
7. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the pest control active is a plant essential oil.
8. The emulsion according to claim 7 wherein the pest control active is thyme oil, geraniol, and/or wintergreen oil.
9. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the oil phase comprises a blend of isopropyl myristate, geraniol and/or thyme oil white.
10. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the oil phase comprises a blend of isopropyl myristate, wintergreen oil and/or thyme oil white and thyme oil red.
11. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the mean number of carbon atoms of the unsaturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof is at least 4 carbon atoms greater than the mean number of carbon atoms present in the saturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof.
12. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of oleic, ricinoleic, linoleic, linolenic acids and mixtures thereof.
13. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the saturated fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of caprylic, capric, 2-ethyl hexanoic, trimethylhexanoic, trimethylnonanoic, tetramethylhexanoic acids, and mixtures thereof.
14. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the unsaturated fatty acids comprise at least one unsubstituted fatty acid and at least one hydroxy fatty acid.
15. The emulsion according to claim 6 comprising 0 to 50% by weight of free fatty acids and 50 to 100% by weight of fatty acid salts, based on the total weight of fatty acids and salts.
16. The emulsion according to claim 6 having a pH of 6 to 9.
17. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein greater than 70% by weight of the unsaturated fatty acids comprise 14 to 24 carbon atoms.
18. The emulsion according to claim 6 wherein the combined mono-unsaturated and di-unsaturated fatty acids and/or salts thereof is greater than 75% by weight, based on the total weight of unsaturated fatty acids and salts thereof in the composition.
19. The emulsion according to claim 6 in the form of a transparent microemulsion.
20. The emulsion according to claim 6 which is stable at 50° C. for at least one month.
21. The emulsion according to claim 6 which is formed at low temperature and/or at low shear.
22. A method of forming an end-use pest control product comprising forming the emulsion composition of claim 1 , comprising:
1) combining:
i) 3-50 wt. % of an oil phase;
ii) 0.5-40 wt. % of the at least one pest control active; and
iii) 3-50 wt. % of the mixture of:
a) unsaturated C12-C26 fatty acids and/or salts thereof; and
b) saturated C6-C14 fatty acids and/or salts thereof, wherein greater than 70% by weight of the saturated fatty acids comprise 6 to 12 carbon atoms; wherein the ratio of the unsaturated fatty acid component to the saturated fatty acid component in the composition is in the range from 0.2 to 5:1 by weight;
iv) optionally, 0-20 wt. % of an organic cosolvent; and
v) water; and
2) diluting said emulsion with water up to 15 times.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein said emulsion is diluted 1 to 7 times with water.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein 0-20 wt. % of an organic cosolvent is combined in said emulsion.