Inorganic bromide residue in bananas, bell capsicums (sweet peppers), cherries and apples following fumigation with ethylene dibromide and methyl bromide

Abstract

Inorganic bromide residues were evaluated from fumigation schedules available in Australia for use against Queensland fruit fly, Dacus tryoni (Froggatt) and light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) in fruit and vegetables. Capsicums were fumigated for two hours at 20¦C with 22 g m-3 ethylene dibromide (EDB). Bromide residues (40-45 ¦g g-1) were in excess of the maximum residue limit of 10 ¦g g-1 of the United States Food and Drug Administration (U.S.F.D.A.) and the current 20 ¦g g-1 recommendation of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (N.H.M.R.C.). Bananas were fumigated with dosages of 10, 12 and 14 g m-3 EDB for two hours at 20¦C. Bromide residues increased with increasing dosages, and ranged from 11.7 to 15.6 ¦g g-1. Residues were within the recommended 20 ¦g g-1 limit of the N.H.M.R.C., but exceeded the 10 ¦g g-1 limit of the U.S.F.D.A. Cherries were fumigated for two hours at 15¦C with 24 and 48 g m-3 methyl bromide (MB). Bromide residues (up to 8 ¦g g-1) were well within the 20 ¦g g-1 N.H.M.R.C. and U.S.F.D.A. limits. Apples were fumigated for two hours at 15¦C with 24 g MB m-3 and at 7¦C with 32 g MB m-3. Residues approximated or were less than the 5 ¦g g-1 limit of the U.S.F.D.A. and considerably lower than the 20 ¦g g-1 N.H.M.R.C. recommendation.