Cebu Technological University Main Campus

M.J. Cuenco Avenue Cor. R. Palma St., Cebu City

LEMON GRASS EXTRACT AS AN ACTIVE AGENT IN MAKING AN

INSECTICIDE FOR FIRE ANTS

Researchers:
Ferraren, Gypsy Angel R.
Limutin, Dave C.
Paran, Arnold Anthony M.
Remulta, Queenelyn T.
Retiza, Chen Lei J.
Tarongoy, Jon Dan Robert B.
 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

RATIONALE

Fire ants can be as serious pests as any insects we deemed vexatious because they have the
potential to cause major social, environmental and economic impacts globally. According to Texas
Imported Fire Ant Research and Management Project the impact of fire ants in the state of Texas is
estimated to be $1.2 billion annually. Fire ants are pests of urban, agricultural and wildlife areas and can
pose a serious health threat to plants and animals. Fire ants are a social menace because of their sting,
and only in some extreme case can their sting be lethal to humans. The impact of fire ants is not
restricted to people. Pets and domestic animals can also be stung and injured, and may have allergic
reactions or be blinded by exposure to the venom.

Like any other ants, Fire ants’ population rate can reach from a hundred thousand (100,000) up
to two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) individuals per colony making most of the major coastal
areas of Australia, and extensive areas of the tropical north, vast areas of the continent's natural
environment including world heritage areas and national parks prone to fire ant invasion. These tropical
fire ants can also be found a significant problem in some locations in the Philippines whether on trees, in
soils, forests and even inside houses.

This research aims to produce efficient and effective solution in the form of an insecticide made
only for the effective sweeping of these fire ants with the use of one of the most common herbal plants,
lemon grass.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The use of insect repellents is important public health tools for the prevention of vector borne
infectious diseases (Goddard, 2002). Actions to reduce vector-borne diseases can result in major health
gains and relieve an important constraint on development in poor regions (Amerasinghe, 2006).
Essential oil is one of the important components of lemon grass extracts and its applications include co-
ingredients for perfumes and cosmetics. Its high citral composition has made it important for several
chemical syntheses (Negrelle and Gomes, 2007). Similarly, investigations carried out on different
lemongrass extract showed other important therapeutic potentials such as anti-cancer, antihypertensive
and anti-mutagenicity. Others include non-toxic properties, anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anxiolytic, anti-
nociceptive and anti-fungi (Shah etal., 2011). Technically, an insect repellent is any chemical or natural,
that causes insects or other arthropods to make directed, oriented movements away from the source of
repellent. And lemon grass can use as natural insect repellent (Helmenstine, 2011).

According to research article of new tech bio, lemon grass is a very popular and used for
medicinal, food and insect repellent products. The lemon grass oils are used in cosmetics, soaps,
perfumes, dyes and odorizes along with thousands of other products. Lemon grass has thin stems, and
the flowers are white, cream or green. It grows around 8 feet in height in some cases with the majority
of species tapering off at 4 feet. Lemon grass is mainly found in tropical Asia in countries such as India,
Ceylon, Brazil,Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Guatemala, Madagascar, Mauritius, New Guinea and
countries in Africa and South America. In the Philippines, it has a local named known as “tanglad”.

Tremendous insect repellent products pertaining chemical compound like DEET (N,N-
Diethylmeta-toluamide) used as active chemical ingredient in insect repellent, are now turn to all
natural ingredients as more and more negative data is released. Lemon grass is extremely safe and is
listed on the EPA’s GRAS list (generally regarded as safe). People all over the world have come to rely on
the potent insect repellent properties of lemon grass and utilize it as a personal and area spray.

THE PROBLEM
This study focuses on establishing a natural insecticide made from lemon grass extract to
eradicate fire ants.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study was conducted to answer the following problem:

1. Will extract of lemon grass is an effective way to eradicate fire ants?

2. Does the effectiveness vary in insecticide made from lemon grass applied in container A to that of
commercial insecticide applied in container B in terms of:

•Time of ants to demise;

•Number of ants dispatched;

3. Base on question number two which is more effective the commercial insecticide or the insecticide
made from lemon grass?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass extract as natural
insecticide. Extraction of lemon grass is through Water Extraction. This study will give benefits to the
following:

Famers
They will be able to apply a natural style of eradicating insects and this can be created easily
without a hassle just by getting the ingredients in their farm.

Fruit and Veggie Vendors

In consideration that they also will have a way of maintaining their products like fresh goods
free from ants.

Students
In a way they can create another form of a life hack by just creating an insecticide and
preventing pest from their classroom or in their garden in an agriculture subject.
LIMITATION AND ITS SCOPE
The focus of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemon grass extract as an insecticide.
Investigating the performance of these will be described by observation of two insecticides. One
insecticide will be treated with lemon grass and another insecticide is without lemon grass or the
commercial one. The data used in the research is gathered through observation and water extraction.

METHODOLOGY
DESIGN OF STUDY
A. Variable

• Independent variables/manipulated variable

1. Ice

2. Water

• Dependent variable/responding variable

1. 20 pieces of lemon grass leaves

B. Materials

1. Stainless pot

2. Curve pot cover

A. Collecting of Lemon Grass

About twenty (20) pieces of lemon grass leaves was collected near in the house of the researcher in a
vacant lot. Only green and fresh leaves were collected. Additionally, this leaves is clean and dry to
prevent the other organic substance to be extract in extraction process. If the lemon grass is wet, let it
be air dry first before doing the extraction process.
B. Procedure (Water Extraction)
The extraction process will be done through Water Extraction. Due to lack of laboratory
apparatus, the researcher intends to use an improvised apparatus. It requires a stainless pot and a curve
pot cover. The Consumables are water and lemon grass leaves to be extracted.

Step 1

Chop the lemongrass stalk into small pieces. Remove the outer stalks to reveal the tighter inner stem.
Use scissors to slice through the papery parts that a knife won't cut. Collect all the pieces in a clean jar.

Step 2

Pour 16 ounces of boiling water over about 4 ounces of dried and chopped lemongrass to soften the
tissues of the stalk and release the flavors in the lemongrass.

Step 3

Cover the jar tightly and set aside, steep for an hour or until it comes to room temperature.

Step 4

Strain and put in the sprayer.

Definition of terms
Vexatious

 Causing or tending to cause annoyance, frustration, or worry.

Menace

 a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger

Venom

 A poisonous substance secreted by animals such as snakes, spiders, and scorpions and typically
injected into prey or aggressors by biting or stinging.

Extensive

 Covering or affecting a large area.

Domestic

 Existing or occurring inside a particular country; not foreign or international

Prone

 Likely to or liable to suffer from, do, or experience something, typically something regrettable or
unwelcome.
Vector-borne

 Diseases are transmitted among their human, animal, or plant hosts by arthropods, usually
insects

Arthropods

 An invertebrate animal of the large phylum Arthropod, such as an insect, spider, or crustacean.

Tremendous

 Very great in amount, scale, or intensity.

Anti-mutagenicity

 The agents that interfere with the mutagenicity of a substance.

Mutagenicity

 Refers to a chemical or physical agent's capacity to cause mutations (genetic alterations)

Nociceptive

 Relating to or denoting pain arising from the stimulation of nerve cells (often as distinct from
that arising from damage or disease in the nerves themselves)

Anti-nociceptive

 The action or process of blocking the detection of a painful or injurious stimulus by sensory
neurons. Compared with systemic narcotic analgesia, intraspinal narcotic ant nociception has a
longer duration