Malaria: KASU lecturer, others develop mosquito-repellent fabric

Prof. Zakari Ladan of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Kaduna State University (KASU), and other co-researchers have developed a mosquito-repellent fabric.

The KASU Public Relations Officer, Adamu Bargo, who made this known via a statement issued on Sunday, said the development was part of efforts aimed at ending the malaria scourge.

Bargo said the product was the outcome of a more than N27 million Research Grant under the 2020 National Research Fund (NRF) of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“This is the first NRF/TETFund grant won by KASU as the host Institution, in collaboration with Bingham University and Vaal University of Technology, South Africa,” he said.

The KASU spokesperson identified the research topic as ‘Development of an Eco-friendly Mosquito Repellent Fabric, Embedded with Nanoparticles Encapsulated with Vitex Negundo Bioactive Compounds’.

Bargo stated that Ladan, the principal researcher with a specialty in organic and synthetic chemistry, conducted the research alongside three others.

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The university spokesman said the other researchers were Dr Bamidele Okoli, an organic chemist from Bingham University; Dr Uju Ejike, a biochemist from Bingham University; and Dr Mthunzi Fanyana, an expert in nanotechnology from Vaal University of Technology, South Africa.

He added that nightgowns were produced from the fabric, rather than the continuous use of chemical insecticides or mosquito-treated nets with synthetic chemicals.

Bargo explained that the fabric was embedded with nanoparticles encapsulated with Vitex Negundo bioactive compounds for the control of mosquitoes.

“The research is focused on producing a mosquito-repellent fabric, embedded with nanoparticles encapsulated with the active constituents of Vitex Negundo bioactive compounds.

“The type of mosquito-repellent fabrics developed from this research is in the form of sleeping nightgowns with other bio-products.

“They include bio-insecticide sprays and repellent creams, formulated with the plant’s bioactive constituent for the control of mosquito bites,” the KASU spokesman added.

According to Bargo, the grant under the supervision of Prof. Ben Chindo, Director of Research and Development, KASU, has fulfilled TETFund’s requirements, having achieved the project’s objectives.

He said the project has achieved its objectives based on the expected outcomes, including the production of the nightgowns from the mosquito-repellent fabric.

Other outcomes, he said, included two international conferences and the publishing of seven articles in high-impact factor journals, and two conference proceedings.

“The researchers also patented a novel essential oil pilot plant that can isolate aromatic bioactive constituents from plants, useful in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and flavour industries,” he stated.

Bargo added that an NRF/ TETFund Workshop was also organised at Bingham University, Karu, on the topic, ‘Malaria Prevention and Control Measures, using Some Plant Bioactive Constituents Found in North Central Geo-political Zone of Nigeria’.

“Five different products were formulated, using isolated bioactive constituents of Vitex Negundo plant, namely; mosquito repellent cream and pure eucalyptus oil,” he said.

Bargo listed others to include aerosol sprays, mosquito repellent spray fitted with fan and gloss, and water-based mosquito repellent paint.

The Star