Encapsulation of essential oils in porous silica and MOFs for trichloroisocyanuric acid tablets used for water treatment in swimming pools

•Trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) tablets for water treatment in swimming pools.•Encapsulation of insect repellents in silica and MOFs MIL-53(Al) and MIL-88A(Al).•Repellents were geranic acid, citronellic acid, geraniol and IR3535®.•Inclusion in TCCA tablets of encapsulated insect repellents.•TCCA with encapsulated repellents produced stable multifunctional tablets.

Trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) tablets are used for water treatment in swimming pools. This is a safe way of releasing hypochlorous acid with disinfectant, algaecide and bactericide functions. This work investigates the inclusion in such tablets of insect repellents (geranic acid, citronellic acid, geraniol and IR3535®) with a simultaneous perfume function. A simple mixture of TCCA with the repellents is not possible due to the incompatibility between both components. A strategy of encapsulation in silica and MOFs MIL-53(Al) and MIL-88A(Al) has been developed. The subsequent formulation of TCCA with the encapsulated repellents avoided the compatibility problems and produced marketable stable multifunctional (water treatment–insect repellency–perfume) tablets for water treatment.

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