Investigations on Adverse Properties of the Fumigants Methyl Bromide and Phosphine. 1. Residues of Methyl Bromide in Fumigated Commodities

1. The mode of action of phosphine and development of insect resistance. 2. The corrosion of copper by phosphine. 3. The mode of action of methyl bromide and its relationship to insect resistance. 4. Residues of methyl bromide and the reaction products formed in treated foods. In this conununication are given some results from one of these studies, i.e. residues of methyl bromide occurring in fumigated foods. Information is given on the quantities and distribution of 14C labelled methyl bromide residues in yellow dent corn (maize) and Granny Smith apples after treatment with the fumigant. In the corn it was found that the germ part of the kernel, which made up less than 12% of the mass of the kernel, acquired nearly half of the residue from the fumigant and in the treated apples much of the residue was found in the seeds with less in the skin and the least in the fleshy pulp. Methods for extracting and purifying components of the residue for identification are being developed.