Good News As KASU Scientist, Others Develop Mosquito Repellent Fabric<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of KASU, Adamu Bargo, in Kaduna on Sunday, the institution said this was part of efforts aimed at ending the malaria scourge.<\/p>\n
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Bargo said that the product was the outcome of more than N27 million Research Grant, under the 2020 National Research Fund (NRF), of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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He identified the research topic as \u201cDevelopment of an Eco-friendly Mosquito Repellent Fabric, Embedded with Nanoparticles Encapsulated with Vitex Negundo Bioactive Compounds\u201d.<\/p>\n
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He said that Ladan, the principal researcher, with specialty in organic and synthetic chemistry, conducted the research alongside three others.<\/p>\n
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The 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.<\/p>\n
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He added that nightgowns were produced from the fabric, rather than the continuous use of chemical insecticides or mosquito-treated nets with synthetic chemicals.<\/p>\n
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Bargo explained that the fabric was embedded with nanoparticles encapsulated with Vitex Negundo bioactive compounds for the control of mosquitoes.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe research is focused on producing a mosquito-repellent fabric, embedded with nanoparticles encapsulated with the active constituents of Vitex Negundo bioactive compounds.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe type of mosquito-repellent fabrics developed from this research is in the form of sleeping nightgowns with other bio-products.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey include bio-insecticide sprays and repellent creams, formulated with the plant\u2019s bioactive constituent for the control of mosquito bites,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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According to Bargo, the grant under the supervision of Prof. Ben Chindo, Director of Research and Development, KASU, has fulfilled TETFund\u2019s requirements, having achieved the project\u2019s objectives.<\/p>\n
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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.<\/p>\n
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Other outcomes, he said, included two international conferences, and the publishing of seven articles in high-impact factor journals and two conference proceedings.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Bargo added that an NRF\/ TETFund Workshop was also organised at Bingham University, Karu, on the topic: \u201cMalaria Prevention and Control Measures, using Some Plant Bioactive Constituents Found in North Central Geo-political Zone of Nigeria.\u201c<\/p>\n
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\u201cFive different products were formulated, using isolated bioactive constituents of Vitex Negundo plant, namely; mosquito repellent cream and pure eucalyptus oil,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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Bargo listed others to include; aerosol sprays, mosquito repellent spray fitted with fan and gloss, and water-based mosquito repellent paint.<\/p>\n
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Photo: Getty Image<\/p>\n
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NAN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Good News As KASU Scientist, 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. In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of KASU, Adamu Bargo, in Kaduna on Sunday, the institution said this was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":15105,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"yoast_head":"\n