AG1161

General Fumigation
Classification 3

Training Manual

Cooperative Extension Service

Edited by:
Dr. Donald R. Johnson, Extension Entomologist (Retired), Professor Emeritus,
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service

Preface
This manual provides information for the Arkansas commercial pesticide applicator wishing to
become certified in General Fumigation Classification 3. To become a certified applicator in this cate
gory, a candidate must pass both a general standards exam and an examination based primarily on the
material presented in this manual and (Circular 6) Arkansas Pest Control Law (act 488 of 1975, as
amended). Information covered in the general standards examination is contained in A Guide for
Private and Commercial Applicators: Applying Pesticides Correctly. Refer to (Circular 6) Arkansas Pest
Control Law (act 488 of 1975, as amended) for specific requirements. The Arkansas State Plant Board
administers the examinations. Up-to-date study materials can be obtained from the Arkansas State
Plant Board, #1 Natural Resources Drive (P.O. Box 1069), Little Rock, AR 72203-1069, phone (501) 225
1598. Additional study information may be obtained from the University of Arkansas Cooperative
Extension Service, the pesticide label, current publications on the subject, pesticide distributors, and
manufacturers.

Acknowledgments
Information accumulates from direct observations, scientific literature, and anecdotes from others.
Information from these sources blurs together quickly, and consequently, unique ideas are rare in society.
Credit for sources of information on urban pest control and management must go to:
Land Grant University extension and research workers, most entomologists, who pioneered this
work, those who kept training and research alive during the period when the success of synthetic
organic pesticides preempted nearly all but control evaluations from the 1940s to the 1960s, and
those who persist today; pest control industry workers who held training sessions nationally, region
ally, and locally where information was disseminated among the experienced and provided to the
inexperienced; Environmental Protection Agency personnel who molded modern training and influ
enced the need for national uniformity in training requirements; state regulatory personnel who
cooperated with universities and industry and who strongly emphasized the importance of training;
and the few textbook authors in the United States and England who compiled the reference data in
the understandable and usable form that allows urban pest management practitioners to be
professionals.
This manual has been adapted from commercial applicator certification training manuals for Fumigation and Fumigation of
Soil and Agricultural Products primarily developed by the Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University, with information also from Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Division of Agricultural
Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University; and University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.

Table of Contents

Page No.

Page No.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Unit 3. Characteristics and

Effects of Fumigants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

What Is a Fumigant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Scope of This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Characteristics of Fumigants . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Unit 1. Introduction

The Fumigation Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

and Decision-Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Unit 2. Pest Identification,

Biology and Management . . . . . . . . . .12

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Factors That Affect Fumigation of Raw

Agricultural Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Factors That Affect Soil Fumigation . . . . . . . .61

Unit 4. Pest Management

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Who Dunnit? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Pests of Stored Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

IPM and Decision Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

Pests of Raw Agricultural Products . . . . . .16

Pathogens and Pests in Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Common Pest Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Moth Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Unit 5. Methods of Fumigation . . . . .81

Beetle Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Other Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Pests of Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Termites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Beetles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Miscellaneous Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Bed Bugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Fumigation Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Vault Fumigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Tarpaulin Fumigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Spot (Local) Fumigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91

Cockroaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Aeration After Fumigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

Rodents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Factors Affecting Aeration Time . . . . . . . . .92

Pathogens and Pests in Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Aeration Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

Nematode Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Fumigation Methods Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Plant Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Fumigant Movement Through Soil . . . . . .97

Weeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Formulations of Soil Fumigants . . . . . . . . .97

Insect Pests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Application and Containment of

Soil Fumigants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97

Monitoring and Sampling in

Raw Agricultural Products and Soil . . . . . . . . .48

Methods of Soil Fumigation . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Detecting Pest Problems

Raw Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Soil Aeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

Detecting Pest Problems Soil . . . . . . . . .49

Factors Affecting Soil Aeration . . . . . . . . .101

Page No.

Page No.

Equipment Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Self-Contained Breathing

Apparatus (SCBA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

Useful Information for Calibration . . . . .102

Equipment Calibration

Soil Injection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

Supplied-Air Respirators (SAR) . . . . . . . .125

Air-Purifying Respirators . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Equipment Calibration

Chemigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Care of Respiratory

Protection Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127

Test Your Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

Fitting and Testing the Respirator . . . . . .127

Use of Respiratory Protection Equipment . . .128

Unit 6. Public, Personal and

Environmental Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Gas Detection Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Other Protection Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110

Unit 8. Common Fumigants

Protecting the Public

and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Read the Label Information . . . . . . . . . . .111

. . . . . . .134

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

Common Fumigants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Signage for Fumigated Areas . . . . . . . . . .112

Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Monitoring for the Fumigant . . . . . . . . . .112

Sulfuryl Fluoride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135

Transporting Fumigants . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112

1,3-Dichloropropene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Storage and Disposal of Fumigants . . . . .113

Chloropicrin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Tolerance Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Controlled Atmospheres (CAs) . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Proper Aeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Carbon Dioxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141

Preparation and Planning . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Dazomet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

Personal Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113

Metam Sodium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

First Aid for Fumigant Poisoning . . . . . . .119

Methyl Bromide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Test Your Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

Phosphine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151

Unit 7. Safety Equipment . . . . . . . . . .124

Learning Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Appendix A.

Sample Safety Checklists

. . . . . . . . .158

Terms to Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

Respiratory Equipment Protection . . . . . . . . .124

Atmosphere-Supplying Respirators . . . . .125

Appendix B.

Volume Calculations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

The pesticide information presented in this publication was current with federal and state regulations at the time of printing. The user
is responsible for determining that the intended use is consistent with the label of the product being used. Use pesticides safely.
Read and follow label directions. The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or
trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Cooperative Extension
Service is implied.