Wunmi Semudara
Scientists from Nigerian and their South African counterpart have produced a fabric that repels mosquito-repellent fabric has been developed to help curb the high rate of Malaria in Nigeria.
The fabric, developed by Prof. Zakari Ladan, of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Kaduna State University (KASU), and co-researchers including 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 is in form of nightgowns that would eventually replace the continuous use of chemical insecticides or mosquito-treated nets with synthetic chemicals.
The product is the result of a more than N27 million Research Grant to KASU, 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,” the Public Relations Officer of KASU, Adamu Bargo, said.
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,” he said.
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 that the project had achieved its objectives based on the expected outcomes, including the production of the nightgowns from the mosquito-repellent fabric.
