Muslim-led team finds novel way to repel mosquitos
Researchers at India’s top engineering institute embed mosquito-repellent protection into clothing to fight dengue, malaria and chikungunya
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), one of India’s leading public engineering and research universities, have developed “smart” detergents designed to make everyday clothing repel mosquitoes—an approach they say could help reduce exposure to diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya.
The project is led by Professor Javed Nabibaksha Sheikh from IIT Delhi’s Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering. He said the work targets a practical weakness in common protection tools.
“We have developed smart detergents to protect people from dangerous mosquito-borne diseases,” Sheikh said, adding that the products “have been tested in a commercial laboratory and have proven effective at repelling mosquitoes.”
Unlike sprays, roll-ons and creams that are applied directly to skin and can wear off within hours, the detergent-based method aims to shift protection onto fabric. Because a mosquito’s proboscis can penetrate many textile structures, the research focuses on discouraging mosquitoes from landing on clothing in the first place.
The detergents are available in powder and liquid forms and are intended to perform like regular laundry products while imparting repellent properties during washing.
Sheikh said the active ingredients bind with fibers in a way that changes how mosquitoes sense the fabric. “The active components…work on both the smell and taste sensors of the mosquitoes,” he said.
To assess performance, researchers used the widely accepted “hand-in-cage” protocol for repellent testing. Volunteers inserted hands covered with washed fabric into a mosquito enclosure, and researchers measured landing rates.
Sheikh said the method showed a clear drop in mosquito contact: “Fabrics washed with our detergents demonstrated a significant reduction in mosquito landings.”
A key claim of the technology is durability. Because the repellent effect is renewed with each wash, researchers say protection can be maintained through routine laundering, rather than requiring repeated application throughout the day.
The team has filed a patent application, signaling commercial potential. Researchers say the approach could be especially useful in regions where mosquito-borne diseases spike seasonally and where maintaining continuous personal protection with topical repellents is difficult.
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