The research team from the National Taiwan Ocean University discovered that the non-toxic mixture of loose grains of crab shells and silver particles could be the best way to wipe out mosquitoes carrying mosquito-borne diseases like malaria virus, dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and west Nile virus. Also, the researchers discovered that this combination is an environment-friendly method to get rid of the infection.
Customarily, chemicals like chemicals like Malathion and pyrethroids are used to control the widespread of mosquito-borne diseases. However, n the researchers finding, published in Phys Org by Springer, in the experiment showed that nontoxic particle from crab shells called chitin or chitosan could be the best way to curb mosquitoes carrying malaria virus, dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and west Nile virus.
Primarily, this chitin, a nontoxic particle found in crab shells is used in drugs that can heal wounds and used by manufacturing companies. In fact, in a study published in Science Direct proved that this particle can support denitrification and sulfate reduction in water. Now, it can control and get rid of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria virus, dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and west Nile virus.
To extract the particle, the researchers crushed and oven the crab shells of Xenograpsus testudinatus or hydrothermal vent crabs then mixed it with silver nitrate to produce AgNP solution. Then, to see if this solution is effective, the researchers used to diffuse it around in India's water reservoirs and found that it killed from the smallest larva of mosquito up to pupa, that is said to carry mosquito-borne diseases like malaria virus, dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and west Nile virus.
Aside from controlling mosquitoes carrying mosquito-borne diseases like malaria virus, dengue, yellow fever, Zika virus and west Nile virus, the researchers test this solution (made from crab shells) to fishes. The experiment proved that it is an environmentally friendly as it didn't harm any of the underwater creatures.
