Ricerc@Sapienza

The development of pathogens and parasites resistant to synthetic drugs has created the need for developing alternative approaches to fight vector-borne diseases. In this research, we fabricated green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using Musa paradisiaca stem extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent. AgNP showed plasmon resonance reduction under UV–Vis spectrophotometry, SEM and XRD highlighted that they were crystalline in nature with face centered cubic geometry.

The green synthesis of nanopesticides has been recently proposed to improve the efficacy of mosquito control programs. However, limited efforts shed light on the impact of sub-lethal doses of nanopesticides on behavioral traits of mosquito biocontrol agents. We described the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) at room temperature using the aqueous extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides, and their high toxicity against the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus. LC50calculated on young instars ranged from 13 ppm (first instar larvae) to 19 ppm (pupae). LC50calculated on adults was 14 ppm.