Comparing Mosquito Repellency Efficacy on Textiles Sprayed with DEET and Permethrin

Abstract

N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) and Permethrin are the most common active ingredients in mosquito repellents. They are commonly sprayed on textiles and clothing to repel insects, specifically, mosquitos, in order to avoid the vector-borne diseases spreading through communities. In this article, we first discuss the characteristic of DEET and Permethrin based on their composition and chemical structure. We then conducted experiments to evaluate the functionality of each ingredient. We also compared the anti-mosquito efficacy of the textiles and clothing sprayed with DEET and Permethrin; the government restriction of the application of these pesticides to textiles and clothing due to their toxicity level and impact on the human body, and any damages to textile and clothing materials.

Functional Coatings by Natural and Synthetic Agents for Insect Control and Their Applications

“…This can be explained by the low volatility of permethrin since it has a lower vapor pressure of 2.15 × 10 −8 mmHg at 20 • C compared to that of DEET, which is 5.6 × 10 −3 mmHg at 20 • C. Therefore, the repellent effect of permethrin is longer than that of DEET. Another reason why permethrin is more suitable for use on textiles is that it has a lower water solubility compared to DEET [86]. Permethrin encapsulated with ethyl cellulose using the coacervation method has proven to remain effective for up to 20 wash cycles [84].…”

“…Therefore, the repellent effect of permethrin is longer than that of DEET. Another reason why permethrin is more suitable for use on textiles is that it has a lower water solubility compared to DEET [86].…”

“…DEET acts as a plasticizer, which means it can cause damage to synthetic materials. However, it is not known to cause any damage to natural fibers [86]. DEET has been commercially available since 1956.…”

“…DEET acts as a plasticizer, which means it can cause damage to synthetic materials. However, it is not known to cause any damage to natural fibers [86]. DEPA was developed as a broad-range insect repellent in India due to the unavailability of a chemical component to produce DEET.…”