CPHST: Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) Laboratory
CPHST AQI Lab, Miami, FL and Raleigh, NC
Location: 13601 Old Cutler Rd., Miami, FL 33158
Phone: (305) 278-4881
Contact: Woodward Bailey
Location: 1730 Varsity Dr., Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: (919) 855-7450
Fax: (919) 855-7493
Contact: Scott Wood
The CPHST AQI Lab is co-located with the Agricultural Research Service at the Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Florida. In addition to Miami, the CPHST AQI Lab includes treatment support staff in Raleigh, North Carolina. The mission of this lab is to provide world leadership in the development of phytosanitary measures and port technologies to protect American agriculture and natural environments from invasive alien pests. Specific goals include: the development of new quarantine treatments and techniques and modifying existing methods that mitigate risks associated with quarantine pests; validation of existing treatments; support of PPQ operational and preclearance programs (such as facility approvals and certifications); development of risk management systems and systems approaches; and development and optimization of port technologies and processes relating to pest exclusion.
Treatment Schedule Development and Support
- Reviewed cold treatment research protocols for Mediterranean fruit fly in Spanish clementines and four species of fruit flies in Hawaiian citrus.
- Approved final efficacy data for irradiation of mango pulp weevil in Philippine mangoes and cold treatment of Queensland fruit fly in Australian grapefruit.
- Reviewed research and provided technical recommendations for the importation of spinach seed with Phomopsis spp.
- Reviewed ethyl formate research for control of light brown apple moth on grapes.
- Reviewed research protocols for Asian citrus psyllid, citrus black spot, and citrus canker.
- Reviewed fruit fly development data as one component of a hot water immersion study on oversized Peruvian mangoes.
- Approved three spray schedules to disinfest Japanese beetle and other flying hitchhikers in cargo holds and containers to replace 10% d-phenothrin (no longer registered).
- Compiled guidelines for research supporting fruit fly cold treatment development to standardize and identify criteria for treatment research and evaluation.
Technical Support for Field Operations and Preclearance Programs
- Approved air cargo covers for covering pallets of perishable commodities during fumigation.
- Approved new options for placement of circulation fans in fumigation chambers.
- Approved modified atmosphere packaging for Mexican guavas.
- Reviewed protocol and provided guidance on Australian pilot project for in-transit cold treatment of mixed citrus consignments.
- Developed operational guidelines for sulfuryl fluoride fumigations of containerized logs.
- Approved plans and construction proposals for new types of fumigation chambers at South Florida Logistics Services.
- Certified and approved equipment, facilities, and conveyances for cold treatment of fruit: certified 123,438 self-refrigerated containers and 32 vessels; approved plans for three new vessels and/or significant alternations of existing vessels and one warehouse.
- Approved two international hot water mango facilities and equipment for mango treatment; approved changes to eight existing international hot water mango facilities.
- Developed new irradiation policies concerning process configurations approvals, calibration of dosimetry systems, and insect-proof packaging.
- Approved and certified two domestic irradiation facilities and recertified two international irradiation facilities.
Analytical Chemistry Support
- Developed a chemical assay for the determination of light brown apple moth pheromone blend in mating disruption projects; evaluated 210 pheromone blend samples.
- Developed a chemical assay to determine d-phenothrin content in aerosol products for the Japanese Beetle Program; evaluated four aerosol product samples and 12 quality control samples.
- Evaluated four quality assurance samples for the PPQ Fruit Fly Program.
- In conjunction with DHS, developed elemental analysis test to determine mango origin.