A novel long-lasting insecticide-treated net (LLIN) has been designed by embedding the pyrethroids deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, or etofenprox, onto the fibres of bed net cotton fabric by transferring a new polymer-coating technique from clothing to netting material. EN ISO 6330, the more stringent European Norm for domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing, has been newly employed to monitor and validate more precise wash durability and residual bioactivity of LLINs. Wash durability, residual insecticidal activity and mosquito landing/biting protection has been investigated and compared with four commercially available LLINs. The pyrethroid-embedding impregnation technique allows binding of high concentrations exceeding 8,000 mg permethrin/m(2) within one single-polymer layer. Recovery rates of 95.7 +/- 5.8%, 92.4 +/- 14.0%, 70.2 +/- 9.1%, and 64.2 +/- 6.3% for cyfluthrin; 32.4 +/- 11.4%, 32.4 +/- 12%, 35.1 +/- 16.2%, and 35.8 +/- 15.7% for deltamethrin; 75.3 +/- 12.9%, 57.1 +/- 15.8%, 48.5 +/- 4.0%, and 35.6 +/- 4.7% for etofenprox; and 95.7 +/- 5.8%, 80.2 +/- 8.6%, 39.1 +/- 7.9%, and 34.1 +/- 8.8% were measured after 1, 5, 10, and 20 launderings. Laundering resistance was highest with cyfluthrin > deltamethrin a parts per thousand aEuro parts per thousand etofenprox a parts per thousand aEuro parts per thousand permethrin. After one and five launderings, commercial LLINs revealed percentage pyrethroid recovery rates of 26.3 +/- 11.8% and 0.9 +/- 1.2% for the Care Plus(A (R)) net; 31.8% and 28.9% for the Permanet(A (R)) 2.0; 61.4% and 45.6% for the Net Protect(A (R)); and 80.4% and 68.3% for the Conmanet(A (R)). Recovery rates reveal that the polymer-coating method resulted in extended wash durability. Dose-dependent 100% knockdown rates were most effective with deltamethrin > cyfluthrin > permethrin a parts per thousand aEuro parts per thousand etofenprox. LLINs tested at concentrations up to 8,000 mg permethrin/m(2) did not protect from mosquito bites. Results on long-lasting efficacy and bioactivity of the polymer-coating technique show that this new LLIN technique is a highly promising potential candidate for future malaria control strategies. Standardized machine laundering and drying according to EN ISO 6330 is highly recommended to monitor and validate wash durability and residual activity of LLINs.
