Ethanedinitrile Update: As A Potential Alternative for Methyl Bromide in Timber Fumigation

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

In Korea, methyl bromide(MeBr) is the only registered fumigant for quarantine application in imported timbers and wood packaging materials to control foreign wood-destroying pest. Under a agreement in the Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol to MeBr's ozone depleting properties, the use of MeBr is now strictly restricted and phased out year by year, even though there are exemptions for QPS (Quarantine and Pre-shipment) and CUE (Critical Use Exemption). However, due to increasing of global trades and protection of agro-ecosystem in imported counties against quarantine pests, MeBr in QPS use is increasing (16,304t in 2005, approximately 8.7% increase based on 1996), and domestic consumption of MeBr is recorded up to 938t (annual average among 2003 and 2005), especially the 67% percent (628t) of total MeBr uses imported timber and wood packing materials. Since ethanedinitrile (EDN) was patented by CSIRO in Australia, BOC and Dongbu have tried to develop and commercialize EDN as a timber fumigant. This is updated information on the developmental status of EDN, which included the biological efficacy to target pests and the penetrating aspect to target commodity in the semi-field and various field trials. Based on current results, EDN could replace MeBr for using timber fumigation and would play an important role in the ozone layer protection.