Green nanoparticles for mosquito control

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Science
• Entomology

Background:

• Mosquito-borne diseases pose significant public health challenges.
• Conventional mosquito control methods face issues like insecticide resistance and environmental impact.
• There is a need for sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives for vector control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles using a green chemistry approach.
• To evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of synthesized nanoparticles against key mosquito vectors.
• To explore the potential of Cinnamomum zeylanicum extract as a reducing and capping agent for nanoparticle synthesis.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs using aqueous bark extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum.
• Characterization of nanoparticles using UV-visible spectrophotometry and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).
• Larvicidal activity assays against Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae using probit analysis.

Main Results:

• Spherical AgNPs (average size 11.77 nm) and AuNPs (average size 46.48 nm) were successfully synthesized.
• Synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs exhibited significant larvicidal activity against both An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus.
• Larvae of An. stephensi showed higher susceptibility to the nanoparticles compared to Cx. quinquefasciatus.

Conclusions:

• Cinnamomum zeylanicum mediated synthesis provides an eco-friendly route for AgNP and AuNP production.
• Synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs demonstrate considerable potential as larvicides for mosquito control.
• This green nanotechnology approach offers a sustainable alternative to conventional insecticides for managing mosquito populations.