What is there to gain and lose from plant-derived nano-enabled pesticides: Eugenol-loaded nanocarriers exert long-lived effects on non-target freshwater invertebrate communities

Nanocarriers are attracting growing interest as transport and delivery systems for agrochemicals. Non-target effects associated with their use have however remained characterized to only a limited extent. The current study comprised a long-term impact assessment of eugenol-loaded clay nanocarriers on naturally established communities of freshwater macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and emerging insects. Assessments took place in outdoor mesocosms to which eugenol was applied at nominal concentrations of 20 and 200 μg L-1, and effects from the nanocarrier-based formulation were evaluated at concentrations equivalent to those from its active substance. Both concentrations of eugenol adversely affected turnover, replacement, and emergence rates across various taxa, and effects were most pronounced and long-lived when eugenol was applied via the nanocarrier-based formulation. Effects on zooplankton communities and insect emergence rates persisted throughout the 49-day experimental period, whi..., , Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd5mz](10.5061/dryad.k3j9kd5mz)
Publication DOI: [10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139560](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.139560 \"Persistent link using digital object identifier\")

## Contact information corresponding author

**Name**: Tom A.P. Nederstigt
**Institute**: Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, The Netherlands
**Email**: [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

## Dataset overview

The presented datasets comprise (1), *in vitro* and *in situ* characterization and fate data of eugenol and eugenol-loaded sepiolite nanocarriers, (2) community composition data from macroinvertebrates, zooplankton, and emerging insects, and (3) water chemistry data. For additional information regarding data collection, processing, and analyses, we refer to the accompanying publication.    

## Description of the data and file structure

#### 1. *In vitro* and *in situ* characterization and fate data of eugeno...,