Novel developments of ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite: a nanotechnological approach towards insect vector control

Recently, there is increasing efforts to develop newer and effective larvicides control mosquito vectors. This study was carried out examine the efficacy of ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite synthesized using Gum Arabic against Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. The elemental composition, morphology, functional groups surface plasmon resonance ZnO@SiO2 analyzed by Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), FTIR UV-Visible spectroscopy respectively. In bioassay, larvae were exposed three different concentrations nanocomposite. mortality rates at 10, 20 25 found be (70%, 80%, 86%), (56%, 64%, 84%) (44%, 48%, 76%) for 1st, 2nd, 3rd instar revealed that exhibit high larvicidal activity; 1st (LC50=4.024, LC90= 39.273 mg/l), 2nd (LC50=8.767, LC90=51.069 mg/l) (LC50=13.761.LC90=81.809 mg/l).