Pest Management Science (2013) 69, 722-726

Jozef Rahel, Eva Jonasova, Marta Nesvorna, Radek Klubal, Tomas Erban and Jan Hubert (2013)
The toxic effect of chitosan/metal-impregnated textile to synanthropic mites
Pest Management Science 69 (6), 722-726
Abstract:
Background
Plasma treatment enables effective binding of chitosan film to textile fibres. Heavy metal ions such as Ag⁺ adsorbed onto the chitosan coating are known to enhance toxicity to microorganisms. The acaricidal effect of chitosan and chitosan/metal adducts with Ag⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ was tested in laboratory experiments. Tested species Acarus siro, Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus and Tyrophagus putrescentiae are allergen producers and important pests in house dust, stored food and feed. The mortality was compared after 24 h of exposure of mites to plasma-treated textiles.
Results
Chitosan/Ag⁺ textile caused at least 80% mortality of all species tested. Chitosan/Zn²⁺ and chitosan/Cu²⁺ textiles had a smaller effect on mite mortality than chitosan/Ag⁺. The conversion of chitosan/Ag⁺ finishing to chitosan/Ag₂O did not influence the mortality of mites in biotests, except that of Tyrophagus putrescentiae, where the mortality decreased from 86 to 64%.
Conclusion
The results support a great potential of chitosan/Ag⁺ fibres in acaricidal materials and/or mite protective food packages.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jan Hubert, Tomas Erban

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Dermatophagoides farinae
	Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus
	Tyrophagus putrescentiae
	Acarus siro