QAL Category M Study Guide
Comprehensive Questions (Frequently
Tested) and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
What is a fumigant - Answer: • Gases liquid, solids
• Odorless and invisible
• Toxic when absorbed or inhaled
• Spread & penetrate spaces & materials
• Non-selective pesticide (kills all)
• Concentration, time, temp & humidity
• No residual or post application protection
• Forms
• Cylinders
• CO2: Carbon Dioxide: treat stored commodities, containment
structures, and outdoor burrowing rodents
• SO2: sulfur dioxide: wine barrels, corks, certain commodities
Pros vs Cons - Answer: • PROS
• Toxic to all pests
• Reach pest otherwise hard to locate, apply other pesticides
• Can kill pest on/near foods w/o residual
, • Practical way to kill commodity pests
• CONS
• Very toxic
• No post application protection
• Expensive PPE
• Applicators must be skilled: labor cost high
• Applications require supervision to be effective
Common fumigants:
• Sulfuryl fluoride
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Methyl bromide
• MITC & MITC generating fumigants
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Fumigant distribution in a space - Answer: • Molecular weight:
measure of the weight of the atoms that forma particular substance
• Specific gravity: ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard
• Standard for gas = 1
• Greater then 1 = heavier than air, sinks
• Less then 1 = lighter than air, rises
• MW and SG: tell you
Comprehensive Questions (Frequently
Tested) and Complete Solutions
Graded A+
What is a fumigant - Answer: • Gases liquid, solids
• Odorless and invisible
• Toxic when absorbed or inhaled
• Spread & penetrate spaces & materials
• Non-selective pesticide (kills all)
• Concentration, time, temp & humidity
• No residual or post application protection
• Forms
• Cylinders
• CO2: Carbon Dioxide: treat stored commodities, containment
structures, and outdoor burrowing rodents
• SO2: sulfur dioxide: wine barrels, corks, certain commodities
Pros vs Cons - Answer: • PROS
• Toxic to all pests
• Reach pest otherwise hard to locate, apply other pesticides
• Can kill pest on/near foods w/o residual
, • Practical way to kill commodity pests
• CONS
• Very toxic
• No post application protection
• Expensive PPE
• Applicators must be skilled: labor cost high
• Applications require supervision to be effective
Common fumigants:
• Sulfuryl fluoride
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Methyl bromide
• MITC & MITC generating fumigants
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Fumigant distribution in a space - Answer: • Molecular weight:
measure of the weight of the atoms that forma particular substance
• Specific gravity: ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a
standard
• Standard for gas = 1
• Greater then 1 = heavier than air, sinks
• Less then 1 = lighter than air, rises
• MW and SG: tell you
