New mesh can 'knock down' mosquitoes landing on its surface

London, May 27 : A new polymer mesh is being tested for its efficacy in "knocking down" mosquitoes landing on its surface in India and Tanzania.

German firm BASF, which has created the new bed net, says that its cross-linked structure can retain a pyrethroid insecticide inside it for 25 washes.

The company insists that its bed net allows enough of the chemical to diffuse to the surface to "knock down" nearly all the mosquitoes that land on it, reports New Scientist magazine.

Officials at BASF have also revealed that the amount of chemicals use in the net is not toxic to humans.

They say that the net would be safe even if a baby were to suck it all night.

ANI