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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Commodity Protection and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #428848
Research Project: Improved Systems-based Approaches that Maintain Commodity Quality and Control of Arthropod Pests Important to U.S. Agricultural Production, Trade and Quarantine

Location: Commodity Protection and Quality Research

Title: Toward an electrochemical approach to on-site generation of Hydroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide for scrubbing and degrading Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigant

Author
item NAPIER, CADE - Stanford University
item Walse, Spencer
item MITCH, WILLIAM - Stanford University

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2025
Publication Date: 9/19/2025
Citation: Napier, C., Walse, S.S., Mitch, W.A. 2025. Toward an electrochemical approach to on-site generation of Hydroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide for scrubbing and degrading Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigant. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 73(39):24481-25102. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07517.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c07517

Interpretive Summary: Sulfuryl fluoride has emerged as a valuable alternative to postharvest treatment with methyl bromide, since the use of the latter was restricted to quarantine purposes via the Montreal Protocol's regulation of substances that deplete atmospheric ozone. Sulfuryl fluoride is the primary means for disinfesting homes, structures, pallets, and museum pieces from wood boring and fabric feeding insects. Sulfuryl fluoride also significantly contributes to global food security, as it is used to control insect pests that destroy an estimated 30% of stored foods. Limiting sulfuryl fluoride emissions to the atmosphere after desinfestation treatments is desired because of its greenhouse gas potential. This work highlights the ability of hydrogen peroxide to destroy sulfuryl fluoride, comparing approaches in which the hydrogen peroxide was introduced batch-wise or generated in situ using an electrochemical approach. Evidence and rationale are presented that highlights technical and practical advantages of the in-situ approach, reinforcing the need to scale this technology for further technical and economical evaluations.

Technical Abstract: Currently, the fumigant sulfuryl fluoride (SO2F2) is vented to the atmosphere after its use to control termites in structures and for postharvest disinfestation of durable agricultural products. Concerns over its high global warming potential are fostering efforts to develop wet scrubbers to capture and degrade SO2F2 fumes. This perspective details ongoing pilot tests demonstrating >95% capture and -OOH-mediated hydrolysis of SO2F2 to SO42- and F- using alkaline (pH ~11.5) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scrubbing solutions. An electrochemical process is being developed to produce H2O2 and -OH within the scrubbing solution, valorizing the waste salts as a free source of electrical conductivity.