Microencapsulation of citronella oil by electrospray to increase repellency time against mosquitoes. Pardini, Francisco; Hormaiztegui, María; Muttis, Evangelina; Brividoro, Melina; Micieli María Victoria; Faccia, Paula.

PARDINI, FRANCISCO; HORMAIZTEGUI, MARÍA; MUTTIS, EVANGELINA; BRIVIDORO, MELINA V.; MICIELI MARÍA VICTORIA; FACCIA, PAULA

Rosario

Encuentro; VII Reunión Internacional de Ciencias Farmacéuticas.; 2023

The use of natural oils as insect repellents has several advantages over synthetic repellents. However, the protection time is short due to its high volatility. Therefore, its application must be optimized to achieve a more lasting and effective effect. In this sense, encapsulation of essential oils in low-cost and biodegradable polymers emerges as an alternative strategy. Electrospray (EP), as an encapsulation method, is a versatile, effective, simple technique and is therefore suitable for incorporating natural oils into polymeric matrices. This work then proposes the preparation of microcapsules (MC) of Poly--Caprolactone (PCL) with citronella oil (C) using the EP method, to evaluate the percentage of repellency against mosquitoes over time.Citronella oil was successfully encapsulated in PCL capsules by electrospray. By using a lotion containing the capsules with citronella, the protection time against mosquitoes was increased. Microencapsulation of citronella oil by EP is a potentially viable alternative as a long-lasting natural repellent.