Repellents are volatile substances or products that prevent insects from approaching and repel them in their gaseous phase by producing an unpleasant smell or taste for insects. They are intended to protect against mosquitoes, ticks, flies, and midges, and thus also against the diseases they carry, such as malaria, Lyme disease, and tick-borne encephalitis. Due to the growing awareness of the use of repellents and the importance of protection against insect-borne diseases, we decided to review the safety of such products in our thesis. A total of 53 different repellents available on the Slovenian market were selected and classified by active ingredients as synthetic (56 %), natural (40 %) or combined (4 %). We also divided them by the type of insects they are effective against and found that most repellents are effective against several types at once. The products are most effective and long-lasting against common mosquitoes and ticks, but less so against other species. We examined the target user groups and found that most products are intended for adults and children, followed by those only for children, while three products did not specify the target group, so we concluded that they are intended for adults. We compared the concentrations of active ingredients by user group and found that the concentrations of active ingredients in repellents for children are lower than in repellents for adults - reaching up to 25 % for icaridin and 50% for DEET. We then reviewed the technological forms of the products and noticed that manufacturers most often choose sprays due to ease of use. Finally, we investigated the toxicological profiles of the most commonly occurring active ingredients: icaridin (34 %), DEET (24.5 %), and essential oils of eucalyptus citriodore (26.4 %) and citronella (9,4 %). Among the ingredients considered, icaridin has the most favorable toxicological profile, with relatively high safety in terms of NOAEL, low acute toxicity, and minimal irritant effects. DEET has slightly higher NOAEL and NOEL values, but is associated with neurotoxicity and skin and eye irritation. Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil is not mutagenic, but at higher doses it affects reproduction and causes severe eye irritation, while citronella essential oil has the lowest NOAEL value in females, the highest reproductive toxicity, and causes serious eye irritation. Based on a comparison of toxicological parameters, we concluded that icaridin is the most suitable choice, even for children. We can conclude that for the safe use of repellents, it is necessary to follow the manufacturers' instructions and the recommended measures in case of accidental ingestion.
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