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Insect repellent textiles are currently being investigated as a complementary tool to control disease vectors, such as mosquitoes. The application of microencapsulated biopesticides to textiles is a promising low-toxicity alternative to other control methods, as microcapsules may prolong the release of the repellent agent. In this work, microcapsules containing two biopesticides, namely citronella essential oil and citriodiol® were prepared and applied to cotton textiles using a variety of techniques. The aim of this work was to evaluate these functional textiles to select the most efficient, durable systems. Citriodiol-treated cotton presented a prolonged durability, and 100% repellency could be achieved for more than 30 days after padding onto cotton fabrics. It has to be pointed out that all these repellent textiles have been obtained by scalable, low-cost methods which would require no additional investment for textile finishing industries., Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores

Functional textiles are being developed in order to provide fabrics with new properties and added value. They can be obtained either by using new chemical fibers or by incorporating functional agents to conventional fabrics. Microencapsulation is an effective method to protect these functional agents from reactions with moisture, light, and oxygen. If a fabric is treated with microencapsulated functional agents, higher durability of functionality is expected. This article reports the development and testing of two types of microcapsules containing essential oils for application in cotton fabrics. Microcapsules were obtained by complex coacervation using gelatin and arabic gum or by encapsulation in yeast cells in order to increase the durability of fragrances in textiles. Microcapsule characterization, such as particle size and morphology, was carried out for different oils to polymer ratios and hardening agents to polymer ratios. Padding and coating were tested as application methods. The morphology, durability of the fragrance, and laundering properties of the treated fabrics were investigated. The use of an electronic nose to measure the fragrance release from microcapsules was also evaluated. Gelatin—arabic gum microcapsules increased the durability of the fragrance on the treated fabrics and withstood one wash cycle. Fabrics treated with yeast cell microcapsules presented low fragrance intensity before washing. The fragrance was not detectable after laundering, even though the microcapsules could still be observed on the fabric.