Product Name : Commercial development of a household insecticidal emulsion paint
Centre : Infectious Disease Research Centre
Unit : Entomology Unit
Awards :
Descriptions
This product, known as Painticide is now commercialised by a local company in collaboration with IMR. It is an emulsion paint formulation impregnated with a pyrethroid (deltamethrin) that allows the slow release of the insecticide to the wall surface, thus allowing a long residual effect of more than 2 years. A synergist is added to prevent the development of resistance in the insects. The paint is used primarily in areas where conventional methods of insecticide application cannot be applied or where long term control of insects is needed. The paint formulation is known to be effective against all insects especially cockroaches, mosquitoes and flies.
IMPACT OF PAINTICIDE
1. Pest and Disease Control
This product helps to reduce pest population and disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes. Since many vectors are highly susceptible to the active ingredient, e.g. Aedes which transmits dengue, Painticide can be introduced and used in disease control programme.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
In comparison with common household aerosol, the use of Painticide under household situation is much more cost-effective, as indicated below:
|
Application Method
|
House Area |
Application Dosage |
No. Aerosol can monthly
|
Total Cost/Year (RM) |
Coverage |
Residual Activity
|
|
Aerosol |
50 m2 |
68.3 g |
4 |
4x RM 10= RM 40.00 x12= RM 480.00
|
Partial |
None |
|
PAINTICIDE |
50 m2 |
100 mL/m2
Total= 5 L |
- |
RM 100 for 2 years. 1 year= RM 50
|
Total |
At least 2 years |
As such, spraying of insecticides using conventional methods is greatly reduced, resulting in lower impact on the environment.
3. Time-Saving
Since the residual effect of Painticide is long, it needs to be re-applied only every 2 years, whereas aerosol is applied on a daily basis since aerosol has no residual activity
4. Safety
The declared concentration of deltamethrin in Painticide is 0.25% a.i. w/v. This is equivalent to 2.5 g a.i. in 1 L of the paint. The recommended application volume of Painticide is 1L Painticide/10 m2. Hence the declared amount of deltamethrin will be 2.5 g a.i./10 m2 or 0.25 g/m2 (=250 mg/m2)
Since lab analysis of a sample of Painticide indicated that the actual amount of deltamethrin detectable was 0.05% (test result attached), this showed that the actual amount of deltamethrin that appeared on the painted surface was 20% of the declared a.i. This is equal to 20% x 250 mg/m2= 50 mg/m2.
The recommended application dosages of deltamethrin for indoor residual spraying and bednet impregnation is 15-25 mg/m2 (6th WHOPES Meeting Report, 2002). However, higher dosages up to 50 mg/m2 tend to provide much longer residual effect than those below 50 mg/m2 (Jambulingam et al, 2002). Moreover, tests in our lab indicated that Painticide with dosages below 0.25% a.i. of deltamethrin was ineffective to effect high mosquito mortality (Lee, personal communication).
In conclusion, although the declared a.i. of Painticide was 0.25% w/v, the actual amount that was detected was only 20% of the a.i. which is equal to 50 mg/m2. Much of deltamethrin is probably bonded in the paint by polymerisation which accounts for its slow release over a period of 2-3 years, accounting for its long residual effect against insects of public health importance.
5. Client satisfaction
With its ease of application, long residual effects, safety and cost-effectiveness, many users have indicated their acceptance of Painticide as the first line of protection against insects and pests, especially under house-hold conditions.
