Dissipation and residues of dimethyl disulfide in tomatoes and soil under greenhouse and open field conditions

Abstract

Tomatoes have been widely planted in greenhouses and fields in China. Soil-borne diseases are more harmful to tomatoes than other types of diseases. Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) was used as a novel fumigant instead of methyl bromide to control soil-borne diseases. To assess the safety of DMDS for use on tomatoes, its dissipation and terminal residues were investigated at three different locations under greenhouse and open field conditions. The QuEChERS method was simplified using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection and combined with liquid-liquid extraction purification to allow determination of DMDS levels in both the tomatoes and the soil. The average recovery of the method was between 85.3 and 98.6%, with the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging from to 1.9–10.3%. The dissipation and terminal residues of DMDS in the tomatoes and the soil were analyzed using the method, the results of which showed that the half-life of DMDS ranged from 0.3–6.5 d in the soil at three different locations. The terminal residues of DMDS in the tomatoes and the soil were not detected. This study provided data that the Chinese government can use to support appropriate and safe guidance for the use of DMDS on agriculture.

Keywords:

• GC-MS
• Half-life
• fumigant
• QuEChERS
• DMDS

Disclosure statement

Nan Fang declares no conflicts of interest. Zhou Lu declares no conflicts of interest. Zhongbei Zhang declares no conflicts of interest. Zhiguang Hou declares no conflicts of interest. Bo Wang declares no conflicts of interest. Shuo Wang declares no conflicts of interest. Shuang Liang declares no conflicts of interest. Zhongbin Lu declares no conflicts of interest.

Funding

Financially supported for the study from the Pesticide Residue Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic in China (grant number 2014NCJ39) was sincerely appreciated by the authors.