Citation:

Adrion, A., R. Scheffrahn, S. Serre, AND S. Lee. Impact of Sporicidal Fumigation with Methyl Bromide or Methyl Iodide on Electronic Equipment. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 231:1021-1027, (2019).

Impact/Purpose:

The present study evaluates the impact of fumigation using MB without chloropicrin under target conditions found to be sporicidal in the lab and recently tested in the field. Although no longer a FIFRA-registered pesticide and not currently in use in the US, the effect of MI under conditions reported to be sporicidal in the lab was also evaluated. MI is expected to be less available than MB during the remediation of biothreat-impacted buildings, but could see niche use if compatible with electronic equipment. In the present study, desktop computers were used as surrogates for high-value equipment and the impact of sporicidal fumigation on computer functionality was assessed using visual inspection and diagnostic software. Coupons of metals used in the electronics industry were also included to observe visual or gravimetric evidence of corrosion.

Description:

The effect of sporicidal fumigation with methyl bromide or methyl iodide on the functionality of electronic equipment was evaluated using desktop computers as surrogates for valuable electronic equipment under target conditions of 200–250 mg/L fumigant for 48 hours at 24–30 °C and 75–85% RH. Fumigation with methyl iodide damaged light emitting diodes and optical films in computer displays that were powered-on during fumigation causing discoloration and darkening. After five months of post-fumigation operation, five out of six methyl bromide fumigated and all six methyl iodide fumigated DVD +/- RW optical drives failed. Failure was caused by deterioration of rubber spacers critical to maintaining correct disc geometry. Metal coupons, included to measure corrosion, showed no significant differences in weight gain between control and fumigation conditions. Relative humidity sensors, included in the fumigation to measure environmental conditions, exhibited a substantial and sometimes irreversible reduction in sensitivity during and after fumigation with methyl iodide. Overall, these results suggest that methyl bromide and methyl iodide can cause damage to electronic equipment, but damage seems to be limited to organic materials rather than corrosion of metal surfaces.

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