[NHCOLL-L:4023] RE: use of carbon disulfide as an insecticide

[Gale Ridge]

Dear Jill,

Here in Connecticut Carbon Disulfide has not been registered for use for at
least 20 years and was simply pulled from use.  Carbon Dioxide has certainly
been used and of course is much less dangerous, (but it does need to be
treated with respect).  For large objects, such as cabinets to speed
processing I suggest you use a refrigerated container truck or as we have
done up here up in the frozen north, a few cold nights and days in January
on the obliging flat roof of our laboratory can be a wonderful pest
regulation space, and it's free.

Stay warm.

Dr. Gale E. Ridge

Entomologist

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

123 Huntington St

New Haven, CT 06504 

 

  _____  

From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
On Behalf Of Harris, Jill (VMNH)
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 4:41 PM
To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4020] use of carbon disulfide as an insecticide

 

 

Dear Collegues,

One of the curators here mentioned that in the past, a very long time ago,
he used carbon disulfide to rid a closed storage cabinets of any insect
infestation.  He states that the carbon disulfide was placed in a container
and left in the bottom of a cabinet.  The cabinet was kept sealed for a
couple days until the carbon disulfide had evaporated.  This effectively and
quickly killed any insect infestation that was in the storage cabinet.  This
curator has asked me to find out if this is still an acceptable practice, or
if it is obsolete now.

I looked up the MSDS sheet and it has enough there to scare me from using
it, but that was not what I was asked to find out.  I was asked to see if it
is still used for such purposes as to kill insect pests in a storage
cabinet.  I suspect this chemical is no longer used for this purpose, but
thought I'd ask the list members if any of you have heard of such a method
to eradicate insect infestations in cabinets.

I do want to mention, that we do not have an infestation.  Also, we have a
CO2/Anoxic Chamber, which is currently waiting for part so it can operate
again.  I suspect this curator is asking about the carbon disulfide, as we
are beginning to get a backlog of specimens that need to be processed
through the anoxic chamber before going into new storage facilities.

So, just to give me some wisdom from the field at large, I'd  like to know
what knowledge you may have to impart regarding the use of carbon disulfide
as an insecticide inside museum storage cabinets.  Is it still used, or is
it obsolete??

Thank you in advance for any insight you may have regarding this topic.

Jill

Jill K. Harris

Museum Registrar

Virginia Museum of Natural History

21 Starling Avenue

Martinsville, VA 24112

direct: (276) 634-4182

fax: (276) 634-4199

email:  <mailto:jill.harris at vmnh.virginia.gov> jill.harris at vmnh.virginia.gov

web:  <http://www.vmnh.net/> www.vmnh.net

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