Modified application process on cotton fabric for improved mosquito repellency

As mosquito-borne diseases are increasing continuously throughout the world, mosquito repellent textiles are in demand as a preventive measure for mosquito bites to avoid diseases. In this study, mosquito repellent chemical was prepared by modification of N, N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) and applied on to cotton textiles. As DEET is a well-known mosquito repellent, it is a main ingredient in this modified DEET (MD). Mosquito repellent textiles were prepared by padding cotton fabrics with MD using a conventional pad-dry-cure method. Mosquito repellent activity was evaluated by cage test method wherein a human arm covered with the treated textiles to Aedes aegypti mosquitoes was exposed. Fabrics treated with MD presented a higher and longer lasting protection from mosquitoes assuring over 90% mosquito repellency for unwashed treated fabrics and between70 and 80% for 10 times washed treated fabrics.