The Effectiveness of Lemon Grass as a Natural Mosquito Repellent

Overview

Objectives/Goals The purpose of this experiment is to determine if Lemon Grass is an effective mosquito repellent compared to a Deet based bug spray. The hypothesis states: Lemon Grass is an effective alternative mosquito repellent for people sensitive to the Deet compound (Diethylmetatoluamide). Methods/Materials Mosquitoes were harvested and placed in a bug chamber for a series of three sets of experiments: 1) Control: no repellents were used. Mosquitos were then exposed to human* contact. 2) 15% Off brand, commercial Deet based spray was applied to the arm* and then exposed to the mosquitoes in a bug chamber. 3) 25% Lemon Grass solution was applied to the arm* and then exposed to the mosquitoes in a bug chamber. *Informed consent was obtained from each of the human subjects. Results The tests scores illustrate that Deet repellent has an 81% repellent efficiency versus a 51% repellent efficiency for the Lemon Grass. Repellent efficiency was determined by taking the percentage of bites and subtracting it from 100% of the bited recorded in the control. The Deet compound was more than twice as effective as the Lemon Grass solution. Conclusions/Discussion The results of the experiment show that Lemon Grass may be used as a partial replacement for Deet based repellents. Lemon Grass was found not to be as effective an alternative compared to the 15% Deet compound, however, many people are too sensitive to the Deet chemical to use it as a repellent.

Competition history

• CSEF 2004 Pharmacology/ Toxicology · Entry J1408

Resources

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