Raven Slade, MS Environmental Health candidate, successfully defended today her thesis titled, “Droplet Distribution of Formulated Products on Mosquitoes Exposed via Wind Tunnel: Method Development for Assessment of Product Efficacy Using Fluorescent Dye”. Dr. Avian White serves as her thesis committee chair. Her other committee members are Dr. Stephanie Richards and Dr. Sinan Sousan (ECU Department of Public Health).

Raven’s thesis involved developing a method to assess the number and spread of droplets on mosquitoes exposed to insecticide formulated products in a novel wind tunnel invented by Dr. Richards and Dr. Sousan. The wind tunnel can be used as a screening step and/or alternative to labor-intensive field trials for assessment of product efficacy. In wind tunnel assessments, fluorescent dye was mixed with each insecticide formulated product before being applied to mosquito cages. This allowed for determination of droplet spread and number on individual mosquitoes. Total droplets were recorded for the following body parts for each mosquito population and treatment group: proboscis, antennae, head, thorax, wings, legs, and abdomen. Statistical analyses determined the extent to which droplets on mosquito bodies were related to mosquito mortality for different products and mosquito populations.

Congratulations, Raven!