Toxicity and insecticidal effect of titanium oxide nanoparticles on American cockroach

American cockroach is one of the important household insects, which transmits many types of pathogens to the environment. On the other hand, the methods used to control it today are somewhat ineffective and have caused resistance in these insects.

311 adult American cockroaches were purchased from Tehran Health College. Titanium oxide nanoparticles were also purchased from Neutrino company, Tehran. Different concentrations of nanoparticles were prepared for oral and contact treatments of American cockroaches. American cockroaches were treated by contact and oral method with different concentrations of titanium oxide nanoparticles with three repetitions. The average percentage of insect mortality in different groups was compared by one-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test. Also, the average percentage of insect mortality on different days in each group was compared by analysis of variance with repeated observations.

The oral treatment of American cockroaches was more effective than the contact treatment in concentrations of 15 and 21% in all days, but the contact treatment was more effective than the oral treatment in all days except the seventh day in a concentration of 25%. In general, oral treatment was more effective than contact treatment. With increasing dose and passage of time, the mortality percentage of American cockroaches increased significantly due to contact and oral treatment with titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

The use of different nanoparticles, including titanium dioxide nanoparticles, can create a significant effect in controlling the American cockroach as a new method along with the previous methods.