Organized by the International Permanent Committee, the IWCSPP brings together research scientists, consultants, extension specialists, and industrialists involved in the safe storage of the world's durable food commodities, such as grain, legumes, nuts, beverage crops, and animal foodstuffs.
Due to its ozone-depleting characteristics, methyl bromide, a fumigant used in stored product pest control, is being phased out globally under the Montreal Protocol. Alternatives have been developed and are currently being evaluated. Results from fumigations with ProFume, a fumigant developed for stored product pest control by Dow AgroSciences, were presented at the IWCSPP. All showed favorable results.
Dr. Linda Mason from the Department of Entomology at Purdue University presented “A Preliminary Report of Sulfuryl Fluoride and Methyl Bromide Fumigation of Flour Mills.” Mason summarized research that is underway comparing the effectiveness of sulfuryl fluoride (ProFume) and methyl bromide in real world conditions—two fumigations with each product in four different flour mills.
“Current results indicate 100% mortality of larval and adult stages of both species [Indian meal moths and red flour beetles] for both fumigants and sanitation issues within facilities were critical to pest rebound,” reported Mason.
Dr. Chris H. Bell from Central Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom presented, “Factors Affecting the Efficacy of Sulfuryl Fluoride as a Fumigant,” which examined how ProFume can be used in different temperatures and exposure times with no negative effects on commodities or equipment. In addition, Bell reported that there was at least a ten-fold difference in the levels of fumigant absorbed by flour at 25 degrees Celsius—the sorption of methyl bromide on flour was 705 mg/kg at a minimum while the sorption of sulfuryl fluoride was just 75 mg/kg. Sulfuryl fluoride was also found to penetrate flour about ten times faster than methyl bromide (Bell et al., 2003). “Sulfuryl fluoride [ProFume® gas fumigant] is the nearest like-for-like alternative to methyl bromide,” Bell stated.
Dr. Dirk Maier, professor and extension engineer, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, presented two reports associated with sulfuryl fluoride. His two reports, “Real-time Monitoring of a Flour Mill Fumigation with Sulfuryl Fluoride” and “Modeling the Structural Fumigation of Flour Mills and Food Processing Facilities” presented research results with the primary goal of developing flow models for predictions of fumigant distribution and leakage during the fumigation process in a reference flour mill. The study found that fumigation sealing methods followed during ProFume fumigation does not cause an observable pressure build up during fumigant introduction and were effective in preventing heat loss during the fumigation period.
“The results will provide insight into understanding the dynamics of the structural fumigation process and help fumigators correctly determine the amount of fumigant to be used, which in turn will yield increased efficacy and more successful fumigation jobs,” said Maier.
Finally, Dr. Suresh Prabhakaran, Dow AgroSciences global sulfuryl fluoride technical expert, presented “Commercial Performance and Global Development Status of ProFume® Gas Fumigant.” Prabhakaran stated ProFume has been registered for use in the United States, Switzerland, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Canada, France and Ireland. ProFume has been used in more than 70 research field trials and over 200 commercial fumigations in the United States and more than 150 fumigations internationally. In addition, the Codex Alimentarius Commission has recently adopted maximum residue limits for sulfuryl fluoride for international trade.
Prabhakaran said that presentations at the IWCSPP showed that from an international standpoint, the stored product pest management industry has already accepted that methyl bromide’s phase out requires identification of promising alternatives, such as ProFume® gas fumigant. “Development and commercial launch success in many countries prove that ProFume is a technically and economically viable alternative to methyl bromide,” said Prabhakaran.
For more information about the International Working Conference on Stored Pest Protection visit http://www.abrapos.org.br/9thIWCSPP/en/index.php. For more information about ProFume visit www.ProFume.com.