What are available types of fumigation?
Grain fumigants currently available for general commercial grain storage in the U.S. has been limited primarily to aluminum phosphide or phosphine. Phosphine (PH3) traditionally was applied using aluminum phosphide pellets or tablets placed directly in the grain, or on the grain. In the late 1990s, Phosphine went through an re-evaluation, re-approval process by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA, or EPA). As a result of this process, new EPA rules and application guidelines now require that phosphine be purchased and applied only by certified fumigators. Alternate forms of phosphine gas application have been developed and commercialized during the past 5-10 years. Some companies now supply PH3 and CO2 mixtures (98% CO2 and 2% PH3 by weight) in high pressure cylinders. Advances have been made where pure PH3 is now available in cylinderized form. This material requires specialized equipment to mix the phosphine precisely with air to avoid explosive conditions. Other compani
