Fumigation Monitoring Equipment
Fumigants by their very nature are toxic substances, as they are used to control pests in Silos, Containers, and other Bulk storages of agricultural and horticultural crops. Most fumigants are colorless and odorless gases which makes it impossible for the human senses to detect.
Uniphos fumigation equipment are available for a wide range of applications in the fumigation industry, whether it is for checking leaks during the fumigation process, for personal protection, or for continuous monitoring.
Monitoring of fumigants is of upmost important both for a successful fumigation and for the safety and personal health of those involved. The concentrations of fumigants need to be monitored inside the structure to ensure successful fumigation. Further, the fumigants are harmful, dangerous and fatal to people. To prevent accidental entry of personnel in areas that have been fumigated and have not vented properly.
Few of the gases that are used as fumigants are:
- Phosphine and Sulfuryl Fluoride, which are both extremely toxic
- Methyl bromide, which apart from being toxic also depletes the ozone layer.
The main reasons that we need to detect and/or monitor fumigants are
For personal safety and protection
Poor warehouse design, uneven stack, or defective fumigation covers can cause leakage of the fumigants from the fumigated space and thus causing fumigation failure. Even minimal inhalation of these fumigants by working personnel can cause a feeling of sickness, nausea, and tightness in the chest, and extended exposure can have long term negative effects on their health. Hence checking for leaks during the entire fumigation period is of utmost importance for personal safety and protection. Here one needs to monitor fumigant levels in the TLV levels, which are in the sub-ppm or low-ppm levels.
For process control measurement
The fumigant is supposed to be confined for the intended duration of exposure at a pre-defined concentration to achieve the lethal dose needed to control the target pests in Containers, Bulk storages, Silos, etc. To ensure successful fumigation, the need to continuously monitor the gas concentration of Fumigants in the fumigated area is of utmost importance. Here one needs to monitor fumigant levels in lethal concentration levels, which are in hundreds and thousands of ppm.
