Chapter II

Review of Related Literature

Mosquitoes aren't just annoying; they spread killer diseases, as well. They may look
harmless but the numbers of dengue and malaria cases over the years have proven that
mosquitoes are more deadly than they look. Illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes and their ilk kill
more than a million people each year and infect more than a billion. Half of the world population
is considered at-risk for diseases transmitted by blood-sucking bugs like ticks, sandflies, and
mosquitoes. For World Health Day 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) wanted to
highlight that very real risk with a snappy slogan: "small bite, big threat."

One common disease here in the Philippines is dengue. Mosquitoes put 40% of the world
at risk for it. Dengue fever hurts so much that it's commonly referred to as break bone fever. It's
the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease in the world, with 40% of the world currently
at risk. Between 50 and 100 million people get dengue every year, and even though it's not
usually fatal, it still is a leading cause of death for children in certain Latin American and Asian
countries. The disease can also develop into severe dengue, a hemorrhagic condition that is much
more dangerous, causing bleeding, organ impairment, and persistent vomiting. There's no
medicine or vaccine for dengue. Treatment generally involves just trying to keep patients
hydrated. (Kevin Loria, April 8, 2014)

Mosquitoes are found close to still water, where they feed and develop their larvae. They
are attracted to dark colors.

They also affect your business by losing trust from your customers and employees
because of serious damage to others health and hygiene reputation which results to loss of
business opportunities when customers shred negative reviews on your business. This case works
as well with flies. ( Rentokil)

Flies have also been a nuisance insect for thousands of years. They affect human welfare
because they can transmit diseases just like mosquitoes. Flies such as the common house fly are
classified as filth flies because they breed in rotten food, manure, and garbage. A fly can mature
from egg to adult in as few as ten days. This quick maturity can cause a severe fly problem in a
short period of time. Getting rid of flies long term begins with proper sanitation and exclusion.
To kill the existing fly population insecticides are used. The insecticides come in residual forms,
aerosols, fogging materials, and baits. (Do It Yourself Pest Control)

We all know that we get annoyed every time these insects touched our skin or goes to our
food. That’s why there are a lot of insect repellent in the market that you can use to get rid of
these insects. But why not try organic ingredients to make your own insect repellant product.
There are many ways to make those by the use of ingredients that can be found at every
household and can considered leftovers.

Citrus fruits like orange, lemons, limes and grapefruit all contain limonene sometimes
called d-limonene in their peels which is an organic compound produced by many plants. Its
odor protects the plant from harmful insects and plant eating animals. Limonene can be extracted
from citrus peeks and can be used as natural flavoring agents in foods and beverages. It can also
be used as an insecticide or repellent. (Eugene, fightingmosquitoes.com)

A citrus fruits contain approximately 90-95% limonene, a chemical that is toxic to

mosquitoes and can be found in many commercial insect repellents. (Abbey Schubert)

Limonene is lethal to fleas, fire ants and flies. It also affects insects by suffocating them
by damaging their respiratory systems. Rubbing orange peel on the skin is a home remedy for
preventing mosquito bites (Kathy Adams)

Many studies have been conducted to help establish whether citrus oils are effective.
One study, published by Global Journals Inc (May 2012), looked at five citrus fruits: sweet
orange, lemon, lime, tangerine, and grapefruit. Their peels were dried, ground into powder, and
the extract was removed. Different concentrations of the extracts were applied to determine
which was the most effective as a mosquito repellent. Concentrations of 15%, 20%, and 25%
were all found to be highly effective. Researchers also found that the higher concentrations of
extract offered longer protection against the mosquitoes (Eugene, fightingmosquitoes.com)

According to Natural Product Research, natural essential oils extracted from the fruit of
citrus fruits could be an effective new eco-friendly alternative to mosquito repellants available in
the market. Thus, Researchers from the Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology and
the Department of Tropical health at Alexandria University in Egypt conducted biochemical
experiments to prove the effectiveness of the essential oils. Based from the study, they conclude
that these peels could be a natural and accessible product available which could be used to make
new method of mosquito control. It was also found out that the essential oils were highly
effective in mosquitocidal activity on the larvae (Taylor and Francis Group, October 10, 2017)

You can use either chose lemon or orange peel in making a product because both has
Vitamin C and lemon has an additional citric acid. These peels can repel mosquitoes as they are
repulsed by its aroma. By using these peels, you don’t have to expend money on other expensive
mosquito repellant. It won’t hurt anyone because it is all natural and economical at the same
way. (artscolumbia.org)