Chatchanart Chantana (Som) from Business Development Unit at NANOTEC recently participated in the Innovative TV Show interview at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. The interview session can be seen on channel DLTV 8 (True Vision 193) on November 28 at 14:00 hrs. Re-runs will be shown on Channel 11 (date & time to be confirmed) and is also uploaded on www.stou.ac.th (click on webcasting). 

The interview focused on the insecticide-treated bednets (Nano Bednet) which was unveiled by NANOTEC on August 25 at an event at Thailand Science Park. The recent flooding in many parts of Thailand saw the Thai Ministry of Science and Technology distributing the Nano Bednets to rural communities affected by the flood.

“Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria are a common threat to many countries in the tropics” said Chatchanart. “Researchers at NANOTEC are proud to be able to use nanotechnology to lock in the chemical (Pyrethroid) that helps kill mosquitoes when they land on a treated net”.

The nets contain a nano-scale formulation of pyrethroid, the common insecticide used for bednets, with particles so small that washing does not dislodge them.

“Standard bednets last for a year at most” said Chatchanart. “The laboratory tested Nano Bednet on the other hand last longer, prevents fungus buildup, does not catch fire easily, and is water repellent. These characteristics help to reduce costs, as it would not need to be replaced or recoated so frequently and it is a local product”. 

Chatchanart said Nanotec is now ready to license the technology. Interested manufacturers would need to test the nets in field conditions before releasing them on to the market.