 |
|
PaintSquare Daily News is available in three editions: Industrial Only Commercial Only Combined Industrial & Commercial Your free subscription also includes: Special topical editions and Weekend Brief—a recap of the week’s top news and some great in-depth reads. Subscribe now: paintsquare.com/psdn |
Insect-Killing Paint Rolls Out in Africa
Malaria-ravaged Ghana has a new weapon to combat the deadly disease: an insecticide paint from Coral Dulux Ghana, an AkzoNobel brand.
The paint was introduced April 17 at a ceremony in the capital city of Accra.
Artilin Vinymat Ultra Paint is manufactured by France-based Artilin and has been approved by European laboratories and government ministries, according to reports.
Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite, is a leading cause of death and disease in many developing countries. Half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of malaria transmission across 106 countries and territories, according to the World Health Organization.
The interior coating is non-toxic and safe for human and pets, but contains insecticide and acaricide that is effective at killing flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, dust mites and termites, as well as eliminating spiders' cobwebs, Coral Dulux said.
How it Works
Artilin Vinymat Ultra Paint, a vinyl aqueous dispersion, features microscopic insecticide crystals firmly bonded into its paint film.
The insecticide crystals release only when an insect lands on the painted surface, the manufacturer says.
The crystals penetrate the legs of the insect and travel to its nervous system, paralyzing and killing the pest in the process, the company reports.
The paint does not release an “offensive smell” and will last for two years, according to reports. It is also mold-resistant, the company says.
‘Major Breakthrough’
“For us, this is a major breakthrough, and we are excited to bring one of the leading paints in the world to the doorstep of our numerous customers,” said Luiz Carlos de Silva, director of Coral Dulux Ghana.
De Silva called the paint "the greatest technological advancement of our time."
| Alvesgaspar / Wikimedia Commons |
|
Mosquitoes carry parasites that cause malaria, dengue fever and other disease. |
The product can be applied by brush or roller like traditional paints; it is available in white and pastel colors, according to information on Artilin’s website.
It can be applied to cement, plaster, wood, cellular concrete and existing matte-finish paint, Artilin said.
Efforts in Other Regions
Other researchers around the world have been working to bring insecticidal properties to paint.
Last year, a Spanish company called Inesba introduced Inesfly, designed to kill mosquitoes and vinchuca, large biting insects that infest thatched roofs and mud walls and carry malaria and Chagas disease.
In February, AkzoNobel officials in India and South Asia told D+D News they were working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop an anti-malaria paint, but were still early in the process. India also has high instances of malaria.
