Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION VIII
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ORMOC CITY
VALENCIA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

AN ACTION RESEARCH ON THE EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF LEMON JUICE

FORMULATIONS AS A NATURAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT: A PROMISING
APPROACH FOR DENGUE PREVENTION

An Action Research Proposal

Under the Research I subject
Submitted to Evangeline Q. Omoy

Norberto Jr Apuya
Mark Angelo Banzon
Kent Mar Niño Cataag
Dj Costorio
Kate Niña De la Cruz
Lynel Jake Inopiquez
Nestor Jay Andric Jupia
Franslyn May Mission
Matt Troyo
Special Science Class 8
Valencia National High School

April 2024
Objectives of the study:

1) Evaluate the effectiveness of different concentrations of lemon juice in repelling

mosquitoes.

2) Investigate the duration of protection by lemon juice as a repellent against

mosquito bites, aiming to establish optimal intervals for sustained efficacy in dengue-
prone areas.
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

"Exploring the Efficacy of Lemon Juice Formulations as a Natural Mosquito

Repellent: A Promising Approach for Dengue Prevention"

Citric acid is a strong-smelling substance found in lemon juice that

mosquitoes dislike. Lemon juice also includes limonene, a naturally occurring
molecule found in citrus fruits, which can conceal the odor of the human body and
make it more difficult for mosquitoes to identify and locate prospective bite targets.
These oils prevent mosquitoes from finding and feeding on humans. Lemon juice
is a safe and non-toxic option for people seeking natural alternatives to chemical-
based repellents. You can apply lemon juice directly to your skin by either
squeezing fresh lemon juice or diluting it with water. Additionally, it can be added
to homemade lotions, sprays, and candles that repel mosquitoes (Andrade,
2020).But, further research is required to determine how long lemon juice protects
against mosquito bites. It is unclear exactly how lemon juice repels mosquitoes,
but knowledge of how long the effects endure can help guide suggestions for
reapplication intervals. The chemical components in lemon juice that are repellent
and how they interact with mosquito sensory systems could be the subject of
future research.

Despite centuries of control efforts, mosquito-borne diseases are flourishing

worldwide. With a disproportionate effect on children and adolescents, these
conditions are responsible for substantial global morbidity and mortality. Malaria
kills more than 1 million children annually, chiefly in sub-Saharan Africa. (Gabrieli,
et.al. 2018)
Dengue is endemic in the Philippines and poses a substantial economic burden in
the country. In this work, a compartmentalized model which includes healthcare-
seeking class is developed. The reproduction number is determined to investigate
critical parameters influencing transmission. Partial rank correlation coefficient
(PRCC) technique is performed to address how the model output is affected by
changes in a specific parameter disregarding the uncertainty over the rest of the
parameters. Results show that mosquito biting rate, transmission probability from
mosquito to human, respectively, from human to mosquito, and fraction of
individuals who seek healthcare at the onset of the disease, posted high PRCC
values. In order to obtain the values for the desired parameters, the reported
dengue cases by morbidity week in the Philippines for the year 2014 and 2015 are
used. The reliability of parameters is then verified via parametric bootstrap. (De
Los Reyes, et.al. 2018)
The goal of the researcher is to create a natural and effective barrier against
mosquitoes and to evaluate the effectiveness of different concentration of lemon
juice in repelling mosquitoes. Also, the researcher aims to know the duration of
protection Lemon Juice will offer in repelling mosquitoes. (Form plus, 2021)
Overall, mosquitoes have reaching effects to human health, economies, healthcare
infrastructure and education. This is also the problem of some teacher in Valencia
National High School especially that our school is home for mosquitoes and
according to them some students that encountered dengue is always absent in class
and in order to address this problem the researcher decided to conduct a study
aiming to establish optimal intervals for sustained efficacy in dengue prone-areas
and to contribute to the development of sustainable and accessible strategies for
dengue prevention.

Statement of the Problem

General Problem.

The objectives of the study is to determine the Efficacy of Lemon Juice Formulations
as a Natural Mosquito Repellent.

Specific Problem.

Specifically the study aims to answer the following:

1) What are the different concentrations of lemon juice in repelling mosquitoes?

2) What is the duration of protection by lemon juice as a repellent against
mosquitoes?
3) What recommendations can be made to address the problem against dengue-
prone areas?
4) What future studies can be made based on the findings of the study?

Null Hypothesis:

There is no significant difference in the efficacy of lemon juice formulations and

commercially available mosquito repellents in preventing mosquito bites.

Significance of the Study

In conducting the study about the Lemon Juice Formulations Natural Mosquito
Repellent, the following individuals will benefit from the said research:

Teachers – The study will help the teachers so they won’t have to worry about
students who frequently miss class due to having dengue.

Students – The result of the study will be able to help students to have new ideas
how to deal with mosquitoes.

Parents – The result of the study will help parents to reduce their expenses on
hospitalization for their children due to dengue.
Scope and Delimitation

This study focus on investigating the efficacy of various lemon juice Formulations as
a natural mosquito repellent, specifically targeting the Aedes aegypti mosquito which
is a primary vector for dengue fever transmission. The study will explore different
concentration of lemon juice to determine their effectiveness in repelling mosquitoes.
Additionally, the research will examine the duration of protection offered by the
lemon juice formulation against mosquito bites. The study will be conducted during
the Fourth quarter of the school year 2023-2024. This study will primarily focus on
the repellent Efficacy against Aedes aegypti mosquito but not with other mosquito
species.
 CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the relevant literature and studies that the researcher
considered in strengthening the importance of the present study. It also presents the
synthesis of the art to fully understand the research for better comprehension of the
study.

Lemon juice serves as a viable and eco-friendly alternative to chemical mosquito

repellents due to its natural properties. The citric acid present in lemon juice acts as
a potent mosquito deterrent by interfering with their olfactory receptors, thus
reducing their attraction to human hosts. Research conducted by the Department of
Entomology at Iowa State University confirms the efficacy of lemon juice as a
mosquito repellent due to its citric acid content (Ogoma et. al., 2014).Embracing
lemon juice as a natural mosquito repellent not only provides protection against
mosquito bites but also aligns with sustainable and environmentally conscious
practices, contributing to a greener approach to pest control.

Lemon juice is a natural and effective mosquito repellent due to its high citric acid
content. Citric acid, found abundantly in lemon juice, acts as a deterrent to
mosquitoes, masking the human scent that attracts them. According to a study
published in the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, citric acid is
effective in repelling mosquitoes (Trongtokit et. al., 2021).By utilizing lemon juice as
a natural mosquito repellent, individuals can avoid the use of potentially harmful
chemicals found in commercial repellents, making it an eco-friendly and safe
alternative for mosquito control.

Moreover, research conducted by Zen et.al. (2020), Sutanto et.al. (2020) and
Rohmah et.al. (2020) have delved into the chemical composition of Lemon (Citrus
Limon L) highlighting compounds namely flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins and
limonenes known for their insect-repelling properties.

Lemon juice has been studied for its insect repellent properties. One study found that
a 100% concentration of lemon juice had an insecticidal effect on mosquitoes,
making it effective for commercial purposes. Another study tested the effectiveness
of lemon juice on reducing blackfly nuisance and found that it provided 89%
protection against blackfly bites. (Makhaik, 2015)
A study by Smith et. al. (2022) found that dengue fever in students often manifests
with symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and
rash.

Likewise, according to a study by Gomez et. al. (2023), severe cases of dengue can
lead to hospitalization and even death among student populations.

Due to symptoms overlapping with other febrile illnesses and limited access to
diagnostic tests, dengue cases are often misdiagnosed or underreported (Bhatt et.
al., 2014).Controlling the Aedes mosquito vector, which transmits dengue virus,
poses challenges due to insecticide resistance, inadequate infrastructure, and
environmental factors (World Health Organization, 2021).Additionally, developing a
safe and effective dengue vaccine has been challenging due to the virus's complex
nature and the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (Katzelnick et. al., 2017).
 Lemon Juice as Natural Mosquito Repellent Survey Questionnaire

Name (Optional):______________________________ Grade & Section:______________

Part I. Demographic Profile of the respondents

Sex : Male Female Age:______

Directions: For the statement of the survey, please indicate how effective it is by putting a
check in the box on the right of each statement. There are no right or wrong answers. Your
answer will be kept strictly confidential and you will not be identified.

5 4 3 2 1

Virtual Tolerance Extremely Very Moderatel Slightly Not

Effective Effective y Effective Effective Effective

1. How effective do you

find the following
concentrations of lemon
juice in repelling
mosquitoes?

2. Is the duration of
protection provided by
lemon juice effective for
preventing mosquito bites?

3. Is lemon juice effective

as Natural Mosquito
Repellent?

4. How do you rate the

effectiveness of lemon
juice compared to
commercially available
mosquito repellent?

5. How effective do you

find lemon juice as a
Natural Mosquito
 Repellent?

CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

This chapter concentrates on the discussion of the research methods and

procedures adhered to by the researcher in order to answer systematically the
specific problems posed for investigation. Specifically, the research method,
population and samples, research instrument, data gathering procedure, and
statistical treatment of the data used were explained in this chapter.

Research Method and Technique Used

This study will implement a Quantitative method. It is the process of collecting,

analyzing, interpreting, and writing the results of a study (Cresswell, 2021). This
method will be used to observe the relationship between the variables with the
principal objective analyzed and associated mathematically through the use of
statistical analysis. Also, this study will used a Descriptive-Correlation design. This
simply defined as a relationship between two variables. The whole purpose of
correlation design is to identify which variable is connected. This whole study
manipulated the effectiveness of using Lemon Juice as mosquito repellent compared
to the commercially available mosquito repellent.

Population and Sample

Valencia National High School is the second largest secondary school in Ormoc City
based on populations. There are almost 4,500 students who are currently enrolled in
this school and 18% of this are Grade 7 and Grade 8. The researcher chose those
sections who meet their given criteria such as: Demographic profile (age, sex,
section) and to their response on the Likert scale. Grade 7 SSC students and Grade
8 SSC students were selected by the researcher because they meet the criteria
presented by the researcher.

The study will be conducted in Valencia National High School during the 2023-2024
academic year. The researcher use 77 or 100% participants for this study

Table 1. The Distribution of Participants.

NUMBER OF STUDENTS
Name of Section MALE FEMALE TOTAL
 N % N % N %
SSC – 7 10 13 30 40 40 53
SSC – 8 17 22 20 25 37 47
TOTAL 27 35 50 65 77 100

Sampling Procedure

In this research procedure may be used to economize time, money, efforts and
arrive just the same, at most reliable findings desired by the researchers. Purposive
Sampling will be used by the researcher since the researcher aims to use the most
cost-effective and time-effective sampling method available Purposive Sampling is
defined as technique relies on the judgement of the researcher when choosing who
to ask to participate and it is also known as Subjective Sampling. This is appropriate
method available since there is limited number of primary data sources that can
contribute to the study.

Instrument used

In the data gathering procedure, the study will use combination of standardized and
self-prepared questionnaires This survey questionnaires will be given to the two(2)
participants of the study: Grade 7 SSC-participants which will be set A and the
Grade 8.SSC-participants which will be set B. This survey questionnaires will be
divided into two (2) parts. A technique for gathering statistical information about the
attributes attitudes, or actions of a population by a structured set of questions
(International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, 2019). This is appropriate to
easily determine the Effectiveness of lemon juice as mosquito repellent.

The first part will be the socio-demographic profile of the students in Grade 7 SSC
and Grade 8 SSC participants such as sex, age, number of years studying in the
school and the academic rank

Part two which is to determine the Efficacy of lemon juice as a natural mosquito
repellent-participants will be measured using five-point Likert scale. Each dimension
contains items of which the respondents indicates the efficacy. In order for the
respondents to answer the given questionnaires and for them to compare lemon
juice mosquito repellent and commercially available mosquito repellent. The
researcher will present three different samples. One with 70% Lemon Juice
concentration, the second one with 50% concentration and the third one with 20%
concentration. The remaining percent of each sample is made up with water. The
Grade 7 SSC students or set A participants will be using the sample Lemon Juice as
mosquito repellent while the Grade 8 SSC students or set B participants will be using
the commercially available mosquito repellent for them to compare the effectiveness
and duration of protection offered by the Lemon Juice compared to the commercially
available mosquito repellent. The mean will be computed and interpreted as follows:
______________________________________________________________________________
 Scale Value Descriptive Rating Statistical Rating Interpretation
__________________________________________________________________________________
5 Extremely Effective 4.21- 5.00 Highest level of effectiveness
4 Very Effective 3.41- 4.20 High level of effectiveness
3 Moderately Effective 2.61- 3.40 Moderate level of
effectiveness
2 Slightly Effective 1.81- 2.60 Some level of effectiveness
1 Not Effective 1.00- 1.80 No level of effectiveness
_________________________________________________________________________________
Validations

The researcher will asked for help and assistance of their advisers to check the
appropriateness and coherence of the test questions. The said survey
questionnaires will be presented to some experts including their Research teacher
and a teacher with doctorate degree in research for content Validations. The
recommendation for validators are considered in the final copy of the test.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher will secure permission to conduct the study from the office of the
School principal. After such, permission is secured, the researcher will give sample
of their product to their selected respondents which is the students from Grade 7
SSC and the students from Grade 8 SSC to determine the Efficacy of Lemon juice
as a natural mosquito repellent and to determine the duration of protection offered by
Lemon Juice in preventing mosquito bites. After that, the researcher will administer
personally the survey to the target participants of the study.

The researcher will be the one to give the questionnaires on a preferred and
approved schedule so that a 100% retrieval will be secured. Data for the job
performance will be secured from the records of the respective institutions.

Meanwhile, the accomplished survey questions will be retrieved to ensure the

accuracy of the responses and a high percentage of retrieval.

Data Processing and Statistical Treatment of Data

The statistical tools that will be use to analyze and interpret the results of the study
are percentage and weighted mean to determine the level of efficacy of lemon juice
as a natural mosquito repellent compared to the commercially available mosquito
repellent. The following statistical techniques will employ in the analysis and
interpretation of the results:

1. The mean, frequency and percentage will be used to present the socio-
demographic profile of the participants from Grade 7 SSC and Grade 8 SSC.

2. The mean and percentage. These will use to determine the average of the
responses to the level of Efficacy of Lemon Juice Formulations as a Natural
Mosquito Repellent.
Mean= ftN * 100 \%

Where: f-frequency

N-number of responses

% - Percentage