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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Commodity Protection and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #286202
Title: Solid phase microextraction for active or passive sampling of methyl bromide during fumigations

Author
item Walse, Spencer
item Hall Iv, Wiley

Submitted to: International Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/18/2012
Publication Date: 11/8/2012
Citation: Walse, S.S., Hall Iv, W.A. 2012. Solid phase microextraction for active or passive sampling of methyl bromide during fumigations. International Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions, November 6-8, 2012, San Diego, California. p. 64:1-2.

Interpretive Summary: A novel application of an analytical technique, solid phase micro extraction, was developed and tested to facilitate the quantification of gaseous methyl bromide over the course of an entire fumigation process.

Technical Abstract: The high diffusivity and volatility of methyl bromide make it an ideal compound for Solid Phase Micro Extraction (SPME)-based sampling of air prior to gas-chromatographic quantifications. SPME fibers can be used as active methyl bromide samplers, with high capacities and an equilibrium time of 1-2 min, or they can be used passively to determine the time weighted average methyl bromide concentration. We report the use of SPME fibers to determine the mass of methyl bromide that breaks through a sorbent column, measure the concentration of methyl bromide in the head space of a vial of methyl bromide-impregnated activated carbon, and predict the spatial distribution of methyl bromide as related to worker exposure in storage spaces following postharvest fumigation.