Mesoporous　titanium　dioxide　with　a　＂lotus　root＂-like　structure　was　synthesized　for　the　first　time　using　an　improved　template-free　method.　The　structure　has　a　BET　(Brunauer　Emmett　Teller)　surface　area　of　688.11　m(2)/g,　a　pore　volume　of　0.743　cm(3)/g,　and　a　pore　size　of　3.59　nm.　Aconitine,　a　botanical　insecticide,　could　be　loaded　onto　the　mesoporous　titanium　dioxide　via　simply　soaking　the　structure　and　had　a　maximum　loading　of　17.6%.　UV　spectroscopy　was　utilized　to　explore　the　drug　release　behaviors,　and　the　results　showed　that　aconitine-loaded　mesoporous　titanium　dioxide　particles　UV　irradiated　could　successfully　release　aconitine　with　a　release　rate　of　46.24%,　which　was　significantly　higher　than　the　samples　lacking　UV　irradiation　(36.80%).　Meanwhile,　the　release　rate　of　aconitine　(48.94%)　for　pH　5.5　was　significantly　higher　than　that　for　pH　7.0　(42.09%).　The　results　of　microcalorimetry　revealed　that　both　the　enthalpy　change　(Delta　H)　and　entropy　change　(Delta　S)　were　negative　(Delta　H　＜　0,　Delta　S　＜　0)　for　the　whole　process　of　aconitine　loading　onto　the　＂lotus　root＂-like　mesoporous　titanium　dioxide　support.　Hydrogen　bonding　was　the　driving　force　for　drug　loading,　and　this　was　also　verified　using　Monte　Carlo　simulations.　These　results　show　that　the　＂lotus　root＂-like　mesoporous　titanium　dioxide　material　has　some　potential　applications　such　as　the　storage　and　use　of　plant　pesticides.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.