Transportable hermetic storage and vacuum equipment for disinfestation of durable commodities

Transcription

1 Transportable hermetic storage and vacuum equipment for disinfestation of durable commodities Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Israel Nationwide exterminating, (Israel) Ltd. Simcha Finkelman, Shlomo Navarro, Miriam Rindner and Refael Dias

2 Aims of the developed technologies and consumer demands Environmentally friendly Efficient Affordable price Simple to handle Free from toxic chemicals 2

3 Core concept of the technology The presented technologies are based on flexible PVC liners that enclose and seal the treated commodity providing an atmospherically controllable treatment chamber. The manipulation of the modified atmosphere treatment is determined by the specific requirements of the commodities and the manufacturing processes. 3

4 The range of environmentally friendly technologies that can be implemented as alternatives to methyl bromide Modified atmospheres: Low pressures Enriched CO 2 atmosphere Enriched N 2 atmosphere Hermetic storage (bio-generated atmospheres) Heat Environmentally friendly fumigants Integration of treatments 4

5 Two technologies already adopted by the industry Low pressure technology (Vacuum) Quarantine treatments for commodities that are packaged in bags. Insect control treatments upon demand. Quality assurance during storage. Hermetic technology (bio-generated atmospheres) Quarantine treatments for commodities with high respiration rates such as: geophytes, onions, potatoes. Insect control treatments of stored commodities such as grain. 5

6 Low pressure (Vacuum) technology In order to simplify this technology for the end-user in Israel the following treatment protocol was chosen: Commodity conditions: Commodity temperature at about 30 C Commodity relative humidity at about 55% Treatment conditions Pressure of the treatment at about 50 mm Hg Exposure time depending on the insect species 6

7 A complete vacuum set-up Pump PVC enclosure 50 mm Hg Quick release connection Zipper one-way vacuum line valve 7

8 V-HF HF (vacuum hermetic fumigation) treatment chamber Zipper Front opening Pump 8 Actual pressure measured directly in the chamber Loading on pallets

9 The pump and the control panel of the vacuum system 6 mm diam.. tube for cube pressure measurements vacuum hose connected to the cube transducer for pressure monitoring Transmitting unit control panel of the pump filters pump body 9

10 The effect of 50 mm Hg on egg mortality at 55% r. h. and 30 C Test insects LT 99 values (hours to obtain 99% mortality) Trogoderma granarium Lasioderma serricorne Oryzaephilus surinamensis Tribolium castaneum Ephestia cautella Plodia interpunctella 46 h 91 h 32 h 22 h 45 h 49 h 10

11 Semi-commercial field tests that produced 100% mortality of insects Treated Commodity Oat Corn chips Cocoa beans Wheat Wheat flour Semolina Infestation found in the treated commodity T. castaneum, O. surinamensis E. cautella S. oryzae, O. surinamensis T. castaneum R. dominica O. surinamensis T. castaneum Test insects used in the trials E. cautella T. castaneum, E. cautella, O. surinamensis, E. cautella, O. surinamensis,, T. castaneum, P. interpunctella O. surinamensis T. castaneum, O. surinamensis, E. cautella T. castaneum, O. surinamensis, E. cautella 11

12 Semi-commercial field tests that produced 100% mortality of insects (continued) Treated Commodity Almonds Garden peas Chick peas Sun flower sees Semolina Rice Infestation found in the treated commodity S. oryzae, C. chinensis, T. castaneum, R. dominica T. castaneum, S. oryzae, O. surinamensis Test insects used in the trials O. surinamensis, L. serricorne, E. cautella C. chinensis, S. oryzae, T. castaneum C. chinensis, S. oryzae, T. castaneum T. castaneum, L. serricorne, E. cautella T. castaneum, O. surinamensis, E. cautella O. surinamensis E. cautella, S. oryzae 12

13 Quality assurance of soybeans imported from Canada adopted by Israeli manufacturer Infestation monitoring during shipment using pheromone traps Quarantine vacuum treatment upon arrival after acceptance Reinfestation prevention by hermetic storage or cold room storage Manufacturing and packaging processes Cost analysis: Installation costs (20 tons cube + pump + ancillary) = 6580 Optional handling & operational costs (per 20 tons treatment) = 18 Treatment cost based on 10 year amortization =

14 Hermetic technology (bio-generated atmospheres) This technology was developed to enable bulb growers to replace methyl bromide quarantine fumigation with a non chemical treatment: Commodity conditions: Commodity temperature is 30 C Treatment conditions Reduction of oxygen concentration to below 1% Exposure time of 72 hours (specifically against the large narcissus fly) 14

15 A fan circulating hot air within the chamber to obtain 30ºC Heating unit and fan Recirculation duct Temperature control unit 15

16 bio-generated atmospheres Reducing O 2 concentration by bulbs respiration Adhering the liner to the crates by removing excess air with vacuum cleaner When oxygen level drops to below 1% hermetic seal is held for additional 3 days 16

17 Quarantine treatment of narcissus bulbs as alternative to methyl bromide for Israeli growers Bulbs held in transport crates on pallets ready for shipment Loading pallets into treatment chamber and installation of heat circulation equipment Exposure for treatment time duration Shipment Cost analysis: MB - Total annual costs for MB fumigation were: 6240 (1070 tons at 5.8/ton) Hermetic - Price of each cocoon is about 2200 (6 units 13200) Handling & operation is carried out by growers Growers recuperate expenses in about two seasons of use with no future expense 17

18 Acknowledgement This research was a collaborative project with Eitan Amichai and GrainPro supported by a grant from the United States- Israel Science and Technology Foundation (USISTF), ARO Project No

19 Information on the application of these technologies can be found at: GrainPro, Inc., 200 Baker Avenue, Suite 309, Concord, MA USA Eitan Amichai, Nationwide Exterminators Ltd., Israel or 19

20 Units used to express atmospheric pressure and their equivalent partial pressure of oxygen expressed in mm Hg and in percentage mm Hg (torr) atmosphere kg/cm 2 inches Hg kpa mbar mm Hg Oxygen % Oxygen ,325 1, , , , , , , ,