Ultrasound treatment acceleration of solvent extraction for fumigant residues from wheat

Concerns about consumer and worker safety and the fate of fumigants have fuelled strong efforts to determine their residues in foodstuffs. Fumigants are usually extracted from commodities with solvent at room temperature (25 degrees C). In this paper, solvent extraction of methyl bromide, phosphine, carbonyl sulfide, and carbon disulfide using ultrasonic acceleration or heating was evaluated. Wheat samples plus solvent, in gas-tight bottles, were placed in an ultrasonic chamber or an oven (50 degrees C), and fumigants were released into the headspace over the solvent. Completeness of extraction was demonstrated within 2 h for ultrasonic extraction, 7-20 h for 50 degrees C heating, and 8-35 h for room temperature extraction. The rapidity of extraction was mainly due to ultrasonic vibration rather than increased temperature.