A novel sanitizer tablet containing clove essential oil (CO) microemulsion was developed. A preformulation study using nuclear magnetic resonance and thermal analyses showed component compatibility. The main components of the samples remained intact despite a color change, probably due to a strong acid-base interaction between eugenol and diethanolamine. The CO microemulsion showed acaricidal and larvicidal activities superior to the commercial product, with product efficacy of 99.9% and larvae mortality of 94%. Optimal spray-drying conditions were achieved with inlet and outlet temperatures of 50°C and 40°C, respectively, an aspiration rate of 1 m3 min⁻1, and a 0.25 L h⁻1 injection flow. The feed suspension comprised 50% (v/v) liquid soap, 37.5% (v/v) water, 12.5% (v/v) ethanol, and 5.0% (w/v) silica. This formulation and processing parameters allowed for successful free-flow powder formation, providing a suitable matrix for incorporating the CO microemulsion via wet granulation without heating. Finally, sanitizer tablets produced from such granules resulted in a uniform product with low weight variation (coefficient of variation of 0.15%), eugenol content of 95.5% ± 3.3, and friability of 0.58%. Furthermore, the tablets showed rapid aqueous dispersion, forming a colloidal system with particle sizes of 221 nm and a zeta potential of -17.2 mV. Antimicrobial activity tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the sanitizer tablet against bacteria and fungi, exhibiting comparable antimicrobial potency to isolated CO. Hence, the sanitizer tablet developed represents a promising candidate as a practical and efficient solution for pest control, offering strong antimicrobial and acaricidal activity.
Copyright: © 2024 Gross et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.