Design of water-in-oil emulsions for storage of microorganisms and their controlled release in aquatic ecosystems

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

0607368 VanderGheynst This project seeks to improve water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion technology for the storage and delivery of microorganisms to aquatic ecosystems. The successful outcome from this research has the potential to improve biological methods for mosquito control and thus could have significant health benefits; this could be extremely important worldwide. The technology potentially could be applied to other systems yielding a reduction in the need for chemical pesticides. Through the use of experimentation and modeling, the researchers will investigate formulation alternatives that yield long-term storage of microorganisms and their controlled release. The research includes development of models to elucidate water transport in formulations to predict stability and rates of controlled release of microorganisms. The work builds upon the PI's previous research and has a strong theoretical foundation. The combination of experimental work, coupled with the further development of theoretical models, should enhance the probability of success.