When methyl bromide was scheduled for withdrawal as a fumigant following the discovery that it is an ozone depleting agent, the search was on for replacements. One promising contender was sulphuryl fluoride.Sulphuryl fluoride had already been successfully used to fumigate whole buildings for termite, and wood boring insect control. More recently it has been introduced to replace methyl bromide in the fumigation of large bulks of stored grain. However little was known about the fate of atmospheric sulphuryl fluoride until recently.
Scientists in the USA are currently reporting the results of their most recent studies into the atmospheric chemistry of the gas. They have measured the levels of sulphuryl fluoride in the air and determined its emissions and lifetime to help gauge its potential future effects on climate. The research indicates that, tonne for tonne, it is about 4,800 times more potent a heat-trapping gas than carbon dioxide, with an atmospheric lifetime of about 36 years; eight times more than originally thought. This coupled with evidence that the atmospheric levels of suphuryl fluoride have doubled in the last six years could mean some challenges for the compound as a methyl bromide replacement. For more information on fumigation go to the CONTACT US section of this site.
