Dear Loren,
Vikane and Chloropicrin are manufactured by the Dow Chemical Company. This link takes you to a page which has all of the Material Safety Data Sheet information, and more besides:
http://www.dowagro.com/main/product_labels.asp?Product_ID=648&Label=All&Area=5
The first link on that page is a copy of the product container label. The MSDS is further down, and there is also a document on chloropicrin. Apparently vikane is odorless and not detectable by humans, so the chloropicrin is added as an odorant.
There’s a lot of solid information here and the bad news is that it’s all in “pdf” format, which means that you have to have a copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to be able to examine the files. The good news is that Acrobat Reader is free, easy to install, and works great. The Dow people put a link to the Adobe site at the bottom of their page.
If you need something right away, here’s a link to Dow’s “Tips” page. It is readily readable:
http://www.dowagro.com/pestweb/pco/Products/DW_Termite/Vikane/vikane3.htm
I have attached a copy of it below, but use the link to convince yourself that I got it right.
One way or the other, peace of mind is cheap here. My advice would be to pack anything you might put on your skin or in your mouth and take it with you. I would certainly take my pennywhistles with me, but also would be sure to take things like makeup, toothbrush and paste, shampoo, and the like. I would probably take all my clothes and bedclothes as well. Pots, pans, and dishes, would go through the dishwasher once, maybe twice, when I got back – depending on how worried I was. Obviously, I agree with others who have commented in this thread.
Here’s the “Tip Sheet”:
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Answers to commonly asked questions about fumigation with Vikane gas fumigant
How much Vikane gas fumigant should be applied to my home?
This can only be determined by the fumigator, as factors such as target pest, exposure time, seal of the structure, temperature and size of the structure are taken into account. The fumigator will calculate the proper amount of Vikane gas fumigant to introduce using a calculator specially designed for this purpose.
What items need to be removed from my house for the fumigation?
Living plants and animals should be removed from the structure. Food, feed and medicinals (anything that could be ingested) should be removed or double-bagged in Nylofume* bags. This includes medicines, food, drink, toothpaste and wine bottles in which the cork is showing. If the item is an unopened, airtight can or bottle, you may leave it in the house during fumigation.
Plastic covered mattresses, pillows, etc. also should be removed. This is because the plastic cover will slow aeration of the fumigant. Filled waterbeds need not be removed.
Does Vikane cause corrosion or other damage?
Sulfuryl fluoride in the gaseous state does not react with most materials and thus is highly unlikely to cause damage to structures or their contents when properly applied.
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I hope all goes well for you, and I hope this information and the links I found help you to make good decisions.
