Adsorption and catalytic decomposition of methyl bromide and methyl iodide on activated carbons

Methyl bromide (MeBr) is commonly used for fumigating structures and commodities. Emission of MeBr during such treatments is environmentally detrimental because of the reaction of MeBr with stratospheric ozone. In this study we evaluated adsorption of MeBr and methyl iodide (MeI) – a potential MeBr replacement, on five commercial activated carbons, and studied water-initiated catalytic decomposition of adsorbed fumigants. All carbon samples showed great adsorption affinity to MeBr and MeI, with the adsorption capacity for MeI several times greater than that for MeBr on the same carbon. For the same fumigant, adsorption was affected by the type of carbon and the concentration of fumigant. Water initiated decomposition of both fumigants, liberating Br− or I− as a transformation product. The rate of decomposition increased with increasing temperature, and was also influenced by the carbon type. The half-life of MeBr or MeI on Centaur, a catalytically modified carbon, was <2 h at 80°C. The rapid decomposition of MeBr and MeI on wet carbons at elevated temperatures may be used to detoxify these fumigants after adsorption on activated carbons.