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Abstract
This study evaluated the efficacy of ozone as a fumigant to disinfest stored maize.
Treatment of 8.9tonnes (350bu) of maize with 50ppm ozone for 3d resulted in 92-100%
mortality of adult red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), adult maize weevil,
Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.), and larval Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner)
and reduced by 63% the contamination level of the fungus Aspergillus parasiticus Speare
on the kernel surface. Ozone fumigation of maize had two distinct phases. Phase 1
was characterized by rapid degradation of the ozone and slow movement through the
grain. In Phase 2, the ozone flowed freely through the grain with little degradation
and occurred once the molecular sites responsible for ozone degradation became saturated.
The rate of saturation depended on the velocity of the ozone/air stream. The optimum
apparent velocity for deep penetration of ozone into the grain mass was 0.03m/s, a
velocity that is achievable in typical storage structures with current fans and motors.
At this velocity 85% of the ozone penetrated 2.7m into the column of grain in 0.8d
during Phase 1 and within 5d a stable degradation rate of 1ppm/0.3m was achieved.
Optimum velocity for Phase 2 was 0.02m/s. At this velocity, 90% of the ozone dose
penetrated 2.7m in less than 0.5d. These data demonstrate the potential usefulness
of using ozone in managing stored maize and possibly other grains.