| Destructive pests such as the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motsch.) (ALB) can be transported around the world via wooden packing materials used in pallets and crates, placing urban and forest resources at grave risk. A potential nondestructive technique to detect pest infestations in wooden packing materials is noncontact ultrasound technology. Noncontact ultrasound (100 kHz to 500 kHz) detection of living larvae in wood was found to be unfeasible due to inference of transmission by the tunnel air/wood interfaces in the wood. However, 100 kHz, 200 kHz, and 500 kHz ultrasound transmission through 1-in. thick wood samples of any orientation was possible. C-scan images (200 kHz) showed the location of holes drilled inside the wood and movement of a larva placed on top of the wood.; The use of microwave energy to treat these wooden packing materials in the source country before transport to eradicate wood-boring pests infesting these materials was also investigated. Destruction of pests infesting wooden packing materials is required by international guidelines. Eradication of cerambycid larval infestations in laboratory-size pine and poplar lumber less than 6-in. thick (volume of 216 in3) was shown to be feasible using 2.45 GHz microwave energy. Five minutes of 1100 W radiation produced 100% mortality of cottonwood borer and ALB infestations in red pine, eastern white pine, loblolly pine, and aspen samples with moisture contents ranging from 30% to 130% of dry weight. The parameters of importance for scale up to commercial size loads include wood moisture content and energy to wood volume ratios. Lethal doses of 2.45 GHz microwave energy increased as wood moisture content increased. The proposed optimal energy to volume ratio for up to 78% moisture content wood samples is 2,812.5 J/in3. Total insect mortality occurred for all three time/power combinations (1000 W for 3 minutes, 2000 W for 1.5 minutes, or 3000 W for 1 minute) tested. Industry standard lumber dimensions and loads must be tested to determine if this ratio is appropriate for commercial use. Energy cost in the United States of 21 to 36 cents per pallet was estimated for microwave treatment compared to 5 to 10 cents per pallet for conventional heat treatment. Actual U.S. costs to exporters for methyl bromide fumigated pallets ranged from {dollar}0.89 to {dollar}16 per pallet in 2003, whereas microwave operating costs to exporters are crudely estimated to be 58 to 94 cents per pallet. Commercial size microwave experiments must be conducted before these cost estimates can be refined. |
