Controlled Release of Essential Oils From Microcapsules Based on Gum Arabic and Chitosan Prepared by Complex Coacervation as Mosquito Repellent and Antimicrobial Material

Microcapsules loaded with essential oils, namely Litsea cubeba, Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon citratus, in gum arabic and chitosan were prepared to explore their mosquito repelling effects and their antimicrobial function. The encapsulation ratio, along with the materials characterization and release behavior of the essential oils from the microcapsules were studied, together with temperature and time dependences. Mosquito repellency was assessed against Ae. aegypti using the “arm-in-cage” method, and the antibacterial activity was tested against E. coli and S. aureus. The results demonstrated that microcapsules loaded with essential oils were successfully prepared for all three essential oils. Also, the results showed that the highest encapsulation ratio was found for microcapsules loaded with Cymbopogon citratus oil. The microcapsules loaded with all essential oils were effective in prolonging protection time against Ae. aegypti, especially in the case of the Litsea cubeba oil, while the Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon citratus oils yielded the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus.