JBNU master's student Nara Choi (Department of Agricultural Chemistry; supervising professor Min-Gu Park) has developed a technology that can replace methyl bromide, a highly toxic fumigant used in the quarantine process for imported pineapples, attracting attention from the academic community.

At the 2026 Spring Meeting of the Korean Society of Pesticide Science held recently, Choi presented a paper titled 'Development of Disinfestation Treatment Technology for Internal Pests of Imported Pineapple Using a Mixed Treatment of Phosphine and Ethyl Formate' and received the Excellent Oral Presentation Award.

The study was conducted with the aim of securing an alternative technology for methyl bromide, which is classified as an ozone-depleting substance and a highly toxic pesticide.

In particular, targeting internal pests problematic in imported pineapple, such as hornworm and other pests, the research systematically analyzed the insecticidal effects of phosphine and ethyl formate.

As a result, Choi determined the optimal insecticidal concentrations and exposure times for each agent, and proposed a 'short-duration, low-dose treatment' that combines the two substances to compensate for phosphine's long exposure requirement and ethyl formate's high usage levels. Through this approach, she confirmed the practical potential to replace methyl bromide.

Choi stated, 'We plan to verify the proposed disinfestation treatment standards through large-scale field trials on imported pineapples and to further develop the technology to reflect practical field applicability,' adding, 'I hope this research can contribute to protecting the ozone layer by replacing methyl bromide.'