Electrons, leaves and light: investigating surface photodegradation of agrochemicals

利用电子顺磁共振波谱技术了解模拟叶表面上农用化学品的光降解机理：随着全球人口的不断增长，对农业效率和可持续性的需求也在不断增加。农用化学品在许多可持续农业实践中发挥着关键作用，但当应用于植物表面并暴露在阳光下时，光降解是降低其效率的关键机制之一。开发更好的模型，能够更彻底地从机械上了解现实条件下的光降解过程，将有助于提高开发和使用新农用化学品的效率和可持续性。在这个项目中，我们将使用电子顺磁共振(EPR)光谱来研究叶片表面和成分在农用化学品光降解中的作用。

Understanding the mechanism of photodegradation of agrochemicals on mimetic leaf surfaces using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy: With the ever-rising global population, the needs for efficiency and sustainability in agriculture are increasing. Agrochemicals play a key role in many sustainable farming practices but, when applied to plant surfaces and exposed to sunlight, photodegradation is one key mechanism by which their efficiency can be reduced. The development of better models enabling a more thorough mechanistic understanding of photodegradation processes under realistic conditions will help towards increasing efficiency and sustainability in the development and use of new agrochemicals. In this project, we will investigate the role of the leaf surface and composition in the photodegradation of agrochemicals using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy.