Question

Bromomethane (Methyl bromide) has been banned internationally as a soil fumigant because of its adverse effects on the ozone layer and its contribution to global warming. Methyl iodide has been proposed as a substitute. Go to https://www.epa.gov/haps/health-effects-notebook-hazardous-air-pollutants Look at the fact sheets for methyl bromide and methyl iodide. Based on the fact sheets and other information you find on the Web, do you favor the use of methyl iodide as a replacement of methyl bromide? Explain your answer. Please provide citations to your answers, as appropriate.

Answer 1

Methyl iodide is not favoured as a repacement for methyl bromide. This is because they have more or less similar effects, and in some cases methyl iodide is even more harmful than methyl bromide itself. For example, methyl bromide can lead to neurological effects when inhaled long term or short term, but methyl iodide can depress the central nervous system, irritate lungs and skin and even affect the kidneys even during short term exposure. Massive amounts of short term inhalation of methyl iodide leads to pulmonary edema and has resulted in nausea, vomiting, vertigo, ataxia, slurred speech, drowsiness, skin blistering, and eye irritation.