Full Text Available

Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.

Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands

Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Other Authors: Focke, Walter Wilhelm
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2020
Subjects:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1867613601171243008
access_status_str Open Access
author2 Focke, Walter Wilhelm
author_browse Focke, Walter Wilhelm
author_facet Focke, Walter Wilhelm
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/72960
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:38:43.836Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/72960 Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands Focke, Walter Wilhelm u16389523@tuks.co.za Mapossa, António Benjamim UCTD repellents mosquitoes polyolefin strands evaporation rate TIPS method Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-12 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-13 Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2019. Malaria is a principal cause of illness and death in countries where the disease is endemic. The indoor residual sprays of insecticides and indoor use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) are practical methods of the prevention of malaria recommended by WHO. However, the elimination of malaria is creating difficulties as the current methods do not protect against mosquitoes biting outdoors. The purpose of this study was to develop a new product by incorporating repellents into inexpensive thermoplastic polymer namely poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) to control the release rate of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands, e.g. repellent bracelets and anklets which can be used for longer periods of time, say for three to six months. Four approaches were considered in this research. In the first study, the evaporation rate of repellents was determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The duration of protection against mosquitoes by the repellent is partially affected by the rate of loss of repellent due abrasion, penetration and evaporation. Therefore, the repellent evaporation rate can be regarded as one of the physical properties of repellents which might affect repellent efficiency. The results showed that three repellents, namely Icaridin, IR3535 and DEET, had a low volatility compared to the other repellents investigated. These three repellents are indicators of long protection time against mosquitoes. The second approach was to use the open-cell microporous strands as reservoirs for relatively large quantities of mosquito repellent. Repellents of interest include DEET, Icaridin, ethyl anthranilate and IR3535. Microporous polymer strands containing mosquito repellent were prepared by twin-screw extrusion compounding. A co-continuous phase structure was achieved by rapid quenching in an ice-water bath of the homogeneous polymer-repellent melt exiting the extruder. Phase separation occurred through spinodal decomposition which trapped the liquid repellent in the microporous polymer matrix. The extraction and TGA results corresponded well to the amount of repellent added in the compounding step, showing that very little repellent was lost during processing. The third approach showed that control of the repellent-release rate was possible with a skin-like membrane at the surfaces of the open-cell polymer-repellent strands extruded. The presence of a skin-like membrane of the polymer strands was studied using scanning electron microscopy and estimated by a mathematical model. It was found that some of the microporous polymer strands released the repellents at an almost constant rate. The experimental and predicted data fitted very well, showing the accuracy of the mathematical model developed. The last study demonstrated that the polyolefin strands that contained up to 30 wt% of either DEET or Icaridin provided effective protection against bites from the Anopheles arabiensis mosquito even after 12 weeks of ageing at 50 oC. This means that the bracelets or anklets made with polyolefin impregnated with DEET or Icaridin may offer a new effective control strategy which is cost effective for outdoor mosquito bites. mi2026 Chemical Engineering PhD Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructure SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production SDG-13: Climate action 2020-01-27T13:20:06Z 2020-01-27T13:20:06Z 2019 2019 Thesis Mapossa, AB 2019, Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands, PhD Thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/72960> S2019 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/72960 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
repellents
mosquitoes
polyolefin strands
evaporation rate
TIPS method
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-12
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-13
Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title_full Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title_fullStr Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title_full_unstemmed Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title_short Slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
title_sort slow release of mosquito repellents from microporous polyolefin strands
topic UCTD
repellents
mosquitoes
polyolefin strands
evaporation rate
TIPS method
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-12
Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-13
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/72960