Egyptian scientists develop insect-repellent clothing

[DJKeefy]

Bzzzzz… Zzzzzzz… It is the most irritating sound produced by one of the most annoying pests: mosquitoes. Many kinds of repellent products have been invented and produced to help us get rid of those irksome little creatures; from sprays, foggers to zappers. Now, the latest invention to join the bandwagon is an insect-repellent clothing.

A scientific team at the National Research Center (NRC) in Egypt, in collaboration with the Entomology and Pharmaceutical Industries departments, and Textile Industries Division, has succeeded in manufacturing insect repellent and anti-microbial fabrics.

Ali Sayed Ali, a professor in Textile Industries at the Egyptian NRC, said the manufacturing process of insect-repellent clothing is made by preparing an active substance that repels insects like mosquitoes, flies, ants, bugs, fleas and cockroaches from a natural plant extract.

To protect the active ingredients from decomposition because of exposure to light, heat, humidity, or any external factors, the natural mixture is encapsulated.

Ali said that such textiles are used to make garments for soldiers, employees of relief bodies, or people whose works require their presence or proximity to forests. He pointed out that the NCR in Egypt has obtained a patent for this technology.

Source: http://www.arabnews.com/news/448523

[Dusak]

This will be OK for the ladies in the full battle dress, but us mere mortals with the exposed bits will still be bitten to death. Unless of course we all walk around like Bedouin tents on legs.

[Zooropa]

A good breakthrough im sure, now all we need is a hassle repellent of some sort!

[Dusak]

These have been available for sometime zooropa, we call them guns. Unlike indigestion cures, used once the problem never returns.

[Zooropa]

Lol Dusak, effective!

[Hafiz]

Don't know whether this Egyptian achievement is as good as it seems.

Aid agencies have been distributing for decades insecticide impregnated mosquito nets. Maybe the Egyptian achievement is an entirely new breakthrough.

Why would Egypt spend scarce money on this research given the absence of malaria and the relative shortage of flies (come to Australia) in Egypt?

The idea of clothing to repel cockroaches and ants seems mad - killing them before they get onto your impregnated clothing seems the only way to go!