Ampacet, a premier global provider of specialized polymers, services and solutions, has introduced AGRISTAB 372, a new, highly effective UV-stabilizing masterbatch that outperforms conventional HALS & NOR HALS stabilizers typically used in greenhouse film when pesticides are heavily used.
Typical greenhouse film containing conventional NOR HALS stabilizers is designed for maximum 3,000 ppm sulfur content and three years, or four seasons, of effectiveness, while the market tends to require greenhouses with longer life-spans and higher pesticide usage, to withstand up to 5,000 ppm sulfur for a duration of more than three years.
Sulfur evaporators are one of the most commonly-used methods to fumigate greenhouses. Spread within the greenhouse interior, it gets into nooks and crannies and enables homogeneous deposition on any exposed greenhouse and plant surfaces, killing pests and fungal spores. But the use of sulfur fumigation leads to a loss of UV stabilizing properties of the greenhouse film. Photo-oxidation of sulfur deposited on the greenhouse film surface can yield acidic species, deactivating light stabilizers (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizer – HALS) and resulting in early degradation of the film and shortening greenhouse shelf life.
AGRISTAB 372 from Ampacet is a new, highly effective UV-stabilizing masterbatch for multiseason greenhouses with high pesticide use.
Innovative AGRISTAB additive technology fulfills new market requirements for a multi-season greenhouse with highly intensive pesticide usage, beyond the Spanish Committee for Plastics and Agriculture (CEPLA) recommendations. AGRISTAB 372 provides greenhouse film with outstanding resistance to pesticides, allowing usage of up to 5,000 ppm sulfur for a greenhouse that can last for more than three years. AGRISTAB 372 also enables use of lower-gauge greenhouse films in structures and the ability to target typical pesticide usage levels of, for example, 1,500 to 3,000 ppm with lower amounts of stabilization. AGRISTAB 372 does not affect the color of the greenhouse film and offers excellent light transmission and optimized crop yield.
For further information, contact your local Ampacet representative or email: marketing.europe@ampacet.com.
