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Methyl Bromide Emissions from a Covered Field: III. Correcting Chamber Flux for Temperature

USDA-ARS, Physics and Pesticide Res. Unit, U.S. Salinity Lab., 450 West Big Springs Road, Riverside, CA 92507-4617.

^* Corresponding author (yates{at}ucrac1.ucr.edu).

ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to investigate the environmental fate and transport of methyl bromide (MeBr) in agricultural systems. Part of this experiment involved the use of three flow-through chambers to estimate the MeBr flux through a sheet of clear polyethylene plastic covering the field. Using the chamber data, the total mass lost to the atmosphere was estimated to be 96% of the applied mass, and the results were highly variable between chambers (i.e., standard deviation of 298 kg or 35%). The air temperature inside the chamber was found to be much higher than the air temperature outside and was highly correlated with the diurnal variation in incoming solar radiation. Since the diffusion through polyethylene film was found to be strongly dependent on the temperature, a method was developed to correct the chamber flux density data for enhanced diffusion caused by increases in the temperature inside the chamber. After correcting for temperature, the estimated total MeBr emission was reduced to approximately 59% (21% standard deviation) of the applied amount, which is about 5% less than was measured using other methods. When chambers are used to measure volatilization of MeBr or other fumigants from fields covered with a sheet of polyethylene plastic, the chambers should be designed to minimize internal heating or some method should be used to correct the volatilization rate for the effects of temperature.

This study was supported by USDA Coop. State Res. Service Agreement no. 92-34050-8152.

Received for publication May 15, 1995.