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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 10, NUMBER 7, JULY 1997

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS...
OZONE DEPLETION: METHYL BROMIDE

Item #d97jul39

"Bromine Emissions from Leaded Gasoline," V.M. Thomas (Ctr. Environ. Studies, Princeton Univ., Princeton NJ 08544; e-mail: vmthomas@princeton.edu), J.A. Bedford, R.J. Cicerone, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24(11), 1371-1374, June 1, 1997.

Combustion of leaded gasoline can release methyl bromide, but the emission factor is uncertain, ranging over two orders of magnitude. This paper estimates worldwide releases, which peaked in the early 1970s and decreased by a factor of about eight by 1995. At the upper end of the emission factor range, this decrease could have balanced the increase in emissions from the use of methyl bromide as a fumigant in the same period.

Item #d97jul40

"The Potential Effect of Oceanic Biological Degradation on the Lifetime of Atmospheric CH3Br," S.A. Yvon-Lewis (CMDL, NOAA, 325 Broadway R/E/CG1, Boulder CO 80303; e-mail: syvon@cmdl.noaa.gov), J.H. Butler, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24(10), 1227-1230, May 15, 1997.

Uses a global, coupled, ocean-atmosphere box model to consider quantitatively for the first time the possible biological degradation mechanisms for methyl bromide in the oceans. Results show an important effect which raises the estimated oceanic uptake of methyl bromide to 77 Gg per year, and lowers the atmospheric lifetime to about 0.7 years. This leaves missing sources in the overall budget of about 70 Gg per year, which are clearly not in the oceans.

Item #d97jul41

"Methyl Bromide Emissions from Agricultural Fields: Bare-Soil, Deep Injection," S.R. Yates (Salinity Lab., USDA-ARS, 450 W. Big Springs Rd., Riverside CA 92507; e-mail: SYATES@USSL.ARS.USDA.GOV), D. Wang et al., Environ. Sci. & Technol., 31(4), 1136-1143, Apr. 1997.

Reports the first field study of emissions resulting from deep soil injection, and makes specific recommendations for reducing emissions and improving pest management. To minimize volatilization, methyl bromide should be injected into moist soils during cool periods. The soil surface should be packed immediately and covered with a high-density polyethylene tarp.