title: Effect of different droplet size on the knockdown efficacy of directly sprayed insecticides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although insecticidal aerosols have been widely accepted for household use, the discharged amount should be maintained at minimum levels because they contain volatile organic compounds. Hence, it would be valuable to develop a technique whereby insecticide droplets adhere efficiently to an insect's body. The present study was undertaken in order to clarify how differences in the mode of adhesion to the insect body influence the knockdown effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the discharged volume of droplets with different diameters was the same, the adhesion volume of larger droplets was twice that of smaller droplets, resulting in a higher insect knockdown. In contrast, when the adhesion volume of the two droplet types was the same, a greater number of smaller droplets than larger droplets adhered, and the smaller droplets caused higher insect knockdown. The knockdown effect of both droplet types was lowered when the mesothoracic spiracles of cockroaches were blocked; however, the effect of larger droplets was lowered to a lesser degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that, the probability of adhesion to the more susceptible regions of an insect's body, i.e., areas surrounding the mesothoracic spiracles, was improved when a greater number of smaller droplets were adhered, resulting in higher knockdown.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Division, Fumakilla Limited, Umehara, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima-ken, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horibe
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000187:drug effects*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D007306:Insecticides