THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A HOMEMADE INSECT REPELLENT

Introduction: ABSTRACT Insect repellents are important tools for prevention of insect-borne diseases as well as painful or uncomfortable insect bites. And one of natural insect repellent is the lemon grass and the garlic. Determining the effectiveness of lemon grass and the garlic as insect repellent is the main goal of the study. The study has found out that lemon grass and the garlic mixing with olive oil and the eucalyptus oil are effective and alternative natural insect repellent. The result of the present study would provide knowledge and information about lemon grass and garlic mixing with olive oil and eucalyptus oil as insect repellent. Additionally, this study will produced significant and relevant information for future studies regarding to insect repellent. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Objectives Insect repellent are important public health tools for prevention of vector-borne infectious diseases. Actions to reduce vector-borne diseases can result in major health gains and relieve an important constraint on development in poor regions. And this insect repellents help to prevent and control the outbreaks of insect-borne. Technically, an insect repellent is any chemical or natural, that causes insect to make directed, oriented movements away from the source of repellent. And lemon grass and garlic mixing with olive oil and eucalyptus oil can use as natural insect repellent. According to the new tech bio, lemon grass is a very popular and used for medicinal, food and insect repellent. Its oil can used in cosmetics, perfumes, soaps, dyes and odorizes along with thousands of other products. Lemon grass is found in tropical Asia in countries such as India, Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Guatemala, Madagascar, Mauritius, new Guinea, and countries in Africa and South America. In the Philippines, it has a local name known as “tanglad”.This study aims to create affordable yet effective insect repellent made out of lemongrass, garlic, olive oil and eucalyptus oil. Lemon grass insect repellent, which is organic and affordable, unlike other insect repellent products offered in markets, such as patches and lotions, the lemon grass does not contain chemicals that can be harmful to the skin. Because it is made by lemongrass, an edible herb, it is non-toxic and can be used by children, without any worry of accidental intake. But lemon grass is extremely safe Problem of the Study Will extract of lemon grass and garlic mixing with olive oil and eucalyptus oil is an effective way of natural insect repellant? A. General problem: The general problem of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass, garlic, olive oil and eucalyptus oil as natural insect repellent. B. Specific problem: 1. Get the time (minutes) using stop watch to observe the time and duration of the effectiveness lemon grass and some other ingredients. 2. The effectiveness of lemon grass and other ingredients using two insects, the ants and the cockroach.
Hypothesis
If lemon grass will be extracted its natural components, and observe it by applying the lemon grass over a subject that can easily approach by insects, then if it repel the insect away, it is to be an effective natural insect repellent
Significance of the Study Even though people are aware of insect-related diseases, enough action is still not done even though the cases increase. Although awareness is important, action should also be taken.In this study, the aim is to create lemon grass and garlic mixing with olive oil and eucalyptus oil that is effective and affordable. The Department of Health is a Filipino governmental organization that handles the health statistics and health of the Filipinos. It supports the needs of Filipinos in medicinal supplies and gives free services from the government. Furthermore, the Department of Health will also benefit through the use of increasing the productivity of people’s needs and to achieve and improve on every person’s health status and services for health care. This shows the use of natural ingredients, not the ordinary chemical based insect repellent products. The skin is sensitive on what is applied, and should be thought twice of the effect of the things that are chosen to be used for the skin.

Scope and Limitation The focus of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass as insect repellent. Investigating the performance of these will be described by observation of two insect. One insect will be the Ants ant the other one is the Cockroach. The study is performed at the house. The data used in the research is gathered through observation and boiling distillation technique.
Definition of terms:
Lemon grass: A tropical Asian grass (Cymbopogon citratus) having aromatic stalks used as a flavoring in cooking and yielding an aromatic oil used in perfumery and medicine
Repellent: as a substance that keeps away insects.
Extract: liquid substance containing the essence or active substance of a food, plant, or drug in concentrated form
Insect-borne: a disease transmitted only by a specific kind of contact
Conclusion and Summary The hypothesis was right. Lemon grass mixing with some other ingredients can repel insect away and can be an effective and alternative way of natural insect repellent. This study also aims to introduce an alternative which can help solve economic and environmental problems. To discover what other herbal or food alternatives there can be. To inform people about great alternatives and to inspire people worldwide to create their own ideas. “We humans are such a self-centered species that we seldom stop to acknowledge or appreciate the importance of other living organisms in our environment.” Humans have only focused on the importance of their own lives, and aren’t fully aware of the capabilities of other species roaming on Earth. Since insects dominate and cover up almost all of the world’s species, they are usually competitors when it comes to food, shelter and other natural resources. They chew plants and crops cultivated by farmers and destroy wooden building materials, causing some decrease in the resources of humans. A change in climate can also result in increase of insect related diseases. Tick bites from insects can make people such as children become very sick. But because of insect repellents, we could protect ourselves from harmful insects, isolate ourselves away from them and we will be safe as long as they are used safely and correctly. One way to apply the repellent correctly is to read labels for any warnings, to know more information about the product and to see the ingredients it contains. The repellents cannot be applied on cuts, wounds and sensitive skin because it can cause infection and can trigger skin allergies. Repellents are not to be applied on food, on the face, eyes and mouth as well.
Methodology
This project aims to create an organic and effective lemon grass insect repellent. Its goal is to produce an inexpensive product for the populace. We wanted to create an alternative insect repellent that works as good as commercially sold repellents. Through processes that will not harm the environment.
Materials:
Lemon grass- main ingredients
Garlic- for distinctive odor
Olive oil- to improve skin health
Eucalyptus oil- a pleasant fragrance used to prevent irritating
Procedure:
A. Collecting of Lemon Grass leaves was collected near in the house were we do our experiment. Only green and fresh leaves were collected. Additionally, this leaves is clean and dry to prevent the other organic substance to be extract in extraction process. B. Procedure the extraction process will be done through boiling. Due to lack of laboratory apparatus, we intend to use an improvised apparatus. It requires a stainless pot and a curve pot cover. Most essential oils available today are extracted using boiling process. It is believed by many to be the only way oils should be extracted. This boiling process really is quite simple as long as this extraction process is closely monitored boiling temperature that won’t damage the lemon.
1. Set the pot on the heat source and fill with 2 cups of water to level the lemon grass leaves. Position the pot cover on the top in vertically.
2. Keep boiling it for 5 minutes.
3. Get the extract of lemon grass by separating into another container. Then keep it warm.
4. While waiting for the extract of lemon grass to warm, Peel the garlic and put it into the mortar, then smashed it using the pestle.
5. Add small amount of water so we can get the extract.
6. After that, separate extract of garlic using a clean cloth and mixed it into the lemon grass extract together with the olive oil and the eucalyptus oil in the container.

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

(ECOLOGY)
HOMEMADE INSECT REPELLENT

Submitted by: Fel Jane Rabaca Jeddie Ann C. Cedeño Submitted to: Ms. Reza R. Ybañez