J E ^ S ^ a 3?f*>S«%«#SS'^
Agricultural Chemicals in- t h e West J O S E P H J . J A C O B S , Vice President, Chemixrgic C r ^ n . .
Richmond, Calif, A c o n c e n t r a t e d v o l u m e m a r k e t is p r i m a r i l y r e s p o n s i b l e for t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f w e s t c o a s t a g r i c u l t u r a l efciemicals m a n u f a c t u r e . . . L o c a l l y b a s e d i n d u s t r i e s a r e chiefly blenders a n d formulators of agricultural dbeniicals
ShBll Oil Co.'s agricultural ings and part of the 142-acre
laboratory experimental
J. H E geographical location of a chemical industry is, of course, dependent upon many factors, b u t two of the primary ones are t h e availability of raw materials a n d the existence of a concentrated volume market. Most chemical development in the West has been motivated by t h e former consideration, b u t agricultural chemicals are an outstanding example of t h e l a t t e r . Agriculture is one of the major industries of t h e 11 western states. T h e 1945 crop represented a value of approximately $2.5 billion (1). When it is considered t h a t on a national average roughly 3 % of t h e total farm value of crops is spent for fertilizer and.liming materials alone (#), the potential value of t h e agricultural chemical industry in the West can be visualized. T h e agricultural chemical industry is characterized by t w o distinct types of operation—basic manufacture a n d formulation. Basic manufacture in the past has rarely been carried out by companies of western origin b u t are more usually performed b y local branches of large national manufacturers. However, most of t h e agricultural chemicals have to be processed and formulated in some way before t h e y can be used b y t h e farmer a n d a sizable formulation i n d u s t r y has been built u p in the West. These companies purchase t h e basic active ingredients, grind, mix, a d d wetting agents, perform other operations, and sell t h e final packaged formula u p o n the immediate local market. D a t a o n t h e plant location, capacities, and o u t p u t of r -he m a n y h u n d r e d s of western blenders and formulators are difficult to obtain, b u t more definite information on basic manu-
2712
facture is available a n d will be considered primarily in t h e survey. While t h e r e are fairly complete d a t a on t h e consumption a n d production of fertilizers b y regions, it buildh a s been necessary t o farm make m a n y assumptions a n d use other devious methods in order t o arrive a t figures for t h e other classes of agricultural chemicals. Insecticides I t h a s been estimated t h a t t h e insecticides consumed in the United States in 1945 were valued a t $81 million (S). T h e cash value of t h e 1945 crop from the 11 western states a m o u n t e d t o 1 7 % of t h e t o t a l for t h e U. S. (#). If we use t h e same proportionality, t h e value of insecticides in the West in 1945 should h a v e been a b o u t $13.5 million. L e a d Arsenate. The agricultural chemical industry in t h e West got its start in t h e early p a r t of this century with t h e manufacture of lead arsenate, used in controlling codling m o t h on apples a n d pears. S t a n d a r d lead arsenate is manufactured by t h e reaction of arsenic acid, litharge, and nitric acid. Arsenic acid is produced from white arsenic (As 2 0 3 ), the primary material for all arsenic insecticides, a n d nitric acid. I n t h e reaction some of t h e relatively insoluble litharge is brought into solution by t h e nitric acid; t h e soluble lead n i t r a t e formed reacts with t h e arsenic acid whereby insoluble lead arsenate is formed and nitric acid regenerated. At present there are still sizable quantities manufactured in plants of California Spray Chemical Co. a t Richmond, Sherman-Williams C o . a t Emeryville, General Chemical Co. a t Pittsburg, and Los Angeles Chemical Co. in Los Angeles, all in California. D u P o n t operates a plant a t T a c o m a , Wash. I t is estimated t h a t t h e consumption in t h e 11 western states was approximately 20 million lb. in 1944. This q u a n t i t y has been reduced t o less than half during the 1947 season with extensive use
CHEMICAL
of D D T for control of the codling m o t h Calcium Arsenate. In geoeral, this material is manufactured by t h e same concerns which manufacture lead arsenate a n d substantial quantities a r e produced. I t is made b y the precipitation of arsenic acid with lime. T h e r e were four plants producing this material in t h e 1 1 western states i n 1940 ( 4 ) . C o n s u m p t i o n in California alone t h i s year i s e s t i m a t e d at m o r e than 3.5 million lb. (5). Lime Sulfur. The p r e p a r a t i o n of lime sulfur sprays consists of b u i l d i n g certain proportions of lime a n d sulfur to produce a complex calcium polysulfi.de. Because this process is simple a n d well known, i t is carried out b y very m a n y l o c a l blender? and it c a n be assumed, t h a t t h e entire consumption of t h e 11 western s t a t e s is m a d e locally. Oil Sprays. Petroleum o i l sprays fal) into t w o m a i n classifications—dormant and summer o i l s . T h e latter a r e prepared similarly to w h i t e oils with aai especially intensive sulfuric acid t r e a t m e n t to remove most of the u n s a t u r a t e s a n d other chemicals which w o u l d cause i n j u x y to plant foliage. Dormant o i l s are l e s s highly refined since t h e y are u s e d in d o r m a n t season when n o foliage is visible i n order t o kill overwintering insects or eggs. Petroleum oil s p r a y s are manufactured b y most of the major oil companies on t h e West Coast and t h e total estimated c o n s u m p t i o n for both types of oil in 1946 was 9 million gal. Hydrogen Cyanide. T h e use of this m a t e r i a l has declined somewfciat in recent years owing t o the d e v e l o p m e n t of resistance t o this powerful poison o n the p a r t of some citrus s c a l e insects. S i z a b l e quantities are still manufactured by t o e American C y a n a m i d C o . i n Azixsa, Calif. In addition, substantial a m o u n t s of HCIST are shipped in from eastern manufacturers. It has been estimated t h a t consumption i n California alone will exceed 1 million l b . in 1947 (5). M e t a l d e h y d e . T h e t o t a l United Stat**,,, consumption of this c h e m i c a l in 1944 was estimated a t 200,000 lb. (#), t l i e larger part of which was undoubtedly consumed in the West. Metaldehyde, w h i c h is manufact u r e d by t h e condensation of acetaldehyde
A N D E N G I N E E,RJ N G M E W S
in the presence of a catalyst, is used primarily as a specific a t t r a c t a n t a n d poison for garden snails and slugs, common pests of che West. As far as can be determined, production in the U. S. is confined t o the plant of Commercial Solvents Co. in Agnew, Calif. D D T . Although all wartime production of D D T was carried out in eastern - 1 -.LA , t h e existence of a tremendous mark e t in t h > West for this powerful insecticide has prompted many investigations into the feasibility of manufacture here. Within t h e p a s t few months the opening of t w o plants for manufacture of D D T has been announced. One of these is located in Los Angeles and operated b y the Montrose Chemical Co. and the other is in Portland, Ore., at t h e plant of t h e Pennsylvania Salt C o . I t is estimated t h a t the combined capacity of these plants will be somewhat less t h a n 1 million lb. per month, [t can be assumed t h a t considerably more t h a n half of this will be consumed in the 11 western states. Benzene Hexachloride. While interest in this new insecticide, 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane, is intense, t h e prospective m a r k e t for it has not been sufficiently well established to set the p a t h for future operations. The material is, however, being manufactured in commercial quantities in one p l a n t of the Chemurgic Corp. in Turlock, Calif. I t is manufactured b y the direct addition of chlorine to benzene in t h e presence of actinic light. Only one of t h e stereoisomers (designated as the g a m m a isomer) is insecticidally active. H E T P . This versatile chemical, hexaethyl tetraphosphate, manufactured in G e r m a n y during the war under the trade name Bladan, is being manufactured in sizable quantities a t t h e plant of Eston Chemicals in Los Angeles. Large amounts dre also shipped in from eastern companies. It is manufactured b y the reaction of t r i e t h y l phosphate and phosphorus oxychloride. It is finding wide acceptance tn the agricultural field. Methyl Bromide. This refrigerant is used for t e n t fumigation of stored agricultural products. It is produced a t the plants of Dow Chemical Co. in Pittsburg, Calif., Westvaco Chlorine Products Co. in Newark, Calif., and Eston Chemicals in Los Angeles. Estimated consumption in California this year is over 200,000 lb. Ethylene Dibromide. E D B is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant for the control of soil insects such as wire worms. T h e only western production is a t the plant of Westvaco Chlorine Products Co. in Newark, Calif. Large quantities are shipped in from eastern points by Dow. Chlorinated Cs's. This mixture of dichloropropane and dichloropropene, marketed u n d e r the trade names D D and Dowfume N , is used extensively for control of nematodes and other soil insects. [ t is manufactured by the Shell Oil Co. a n d Dow Chemical Co. • Estimated production in 1944 was 400,000 lb. (£). The V O L U M E
2 5,
NQ. . 38
Chemurgic
Corp. at Richmond,
larger portion was used in t h e West and in Hawaii. Estimated consumption of 11 western states in 1946 was one million lb.
Calif.
o b t a i n e d . T h e total cash value of crops iD W a s h i n g t o n in 1944 was roughly $291 rjnillion a s compared t o $2.5 billion for all t i e 11 western states (2).
Fungicides T h e use of fungicides in the West per acre of crop land is probably lower t h a n in other sections of the c o u n t r y because of the peculiar climatic conditions. Nevertheless, large volumes of fungicides are consumed, m a n y of which, are manufactured on t h e Pacific slope. Sulfur. Probably t h e largest volume fungicide used is g r o u n d sulfur. This material is shipped in h u l k from gulf coast sulfur fields and it is ground and conditioned locally. There are about four companies grinding sulfur i n t h e San Francisco Bay area, an equal n u m b e r in t h e Los Angeles area, and several in the central valley of California a n d in the northwest. Sulfur also has use as a n insecticide and as a soil a m e n d m e n t to reduce the high p l i of western soils and is used as a carrier and a d j u v a n t for other insecticides. Probably somewhere around 10O million lb. are consumed annually on t h e Pacific slope. Organic Fungicides- N o n e of the organic fungicides are manufactured on the west coast; their use has not yet become economically significant. T h e foregoing consumption figures for insecticides and fungicides in the western states are estimates except in a few isolated cases where figures h a v e been published. Official consumption figures have,, however, been compiled for the state of Washington (6). While t h e individual items reflect the peculiarities a n d specialties of agriculture in t h a t s t a t e , a n idea of chemical consumption b y this industry can be
.-SETTEMBE-.R
2 2,
1947
l i a b l e I . C o n s u m p t i o n of S p r a y M a t e r i a l s i n S t a t e of W a s h i n g t o n , 1944 L e a d arsenate 11,735,337 lb Bordeaux mixture 0 38,930 lb t_;aLcium arsenate 351,296 lb C o p p e r Bulfate 322,850 lb Lime 792,500 lb O u s t i n g sulfur 101,764 lb Fluorine compounds (includiriR cryolite) 5.474,230 lb Rotenone 428,908 lb ISIicotine sulfate 72,439 lb IParis green 4,100 lb L i m e sulfur (dry) 174,282 lb. L i m e sulfur (liquid) 23,593 bbl IPetroleum oil spray Dormant 912,047 gal Summer 1,064,639 gal S o a p spreader 284,141 lb. O t h e r spreaders and surfaceactive agents 1,778,657 lb Sulfur, wettable 160,950 lb. a This is probably a one-package mix. Moat Bordeaux is made in the field frona copper sulfate s-nd lime.
Fertilizers T h e phenomenal growth in t h e con s u m p t i o n of fertilizers on thv Pacific slope fcias been the result of two p r i m a r y factors I n t h e first place, the celebrated fertility of w e s t e r n soils has been subjected to the r a v a g e s of intensive farming and poor cons e r v a t i o n practices, resulting in definite s o i l deficiencies for which i t has become n e c e s s a r y to apply fertilizer in order to g r o w an economical crop. This condition, ^ h i c h w a s reached m a n y years ago in e a s t e r n agricultural areas, has only rec e n t l y b e e n f e l t in t h e West. T h e second f a c t o r is the high return t h e farmer has Jbeen obtaining for his crops in recent ^ e a r s , which has acted as a n incentive to 2713
increase the crop return p e r acre. While it is generally conceded t h a t t h e phenome nal rise in the consumption of fertilizers in the 11 western states m a y level off or may e v e n drop when farm prices recede, it is also generally felt that consumption will always be maintained considerably above prewar volume. Fig. I shows the rela tionship between consumption in t h e 11 western states compared to the U. S. in 1944, and Fig. 2 shows total fertilizer con sumption of the western state** by years. Nitrogen. Fertilizer nitrogen supplies of the West Coast are handled by the pro duction of ammonium sulfate a t the Shell Chemical plant in Pittsburg, the Columbia Steel plants at Geneva and Provo, U t a h , the plant of Consolidated Mining and Smelting C o . a t Trail. B . C , a n d t h e Columbia Metals Co. of Salem, Ore. B e cause of the shortage of this commodity some manufacturers h a v e recently reeorted to production from purchased anhydrous ammonia and sulfuric acid. Ammonium nitrate is manufactured b y t h e Hercules Powder C o . a t Pinole, Calif., and Consolidated Mining and Smelting C o . at Trail. Sizable quantities of this chemical are shipped t o t h e West Coast from t h e middle western war plants. There i s only one plant i n t h e West manu facturing the ammonium phosphates—the Consolidated Mining a n d Smelting Co. a t Trail, B . C. During recent years the in« jection of liquid ammonia directly into irrigation water has s h o w n beneficial re sults and about 1,500 t o n s have been used for this purpose. Analysis of the tax tag figures for the year ending June 1946 for the 11 western states indicates t h a t t h e consumption of sulfate of ammonia was about 150,000 tons and t h a t of ammonium nitrate about 110,000 t o n s . T h e total amount of nitrogen u s e d was 103,612 tons (7). Superphosphate. Utilizing western phosphate rock, the Stauffer Chemical Co. a t Los Angeles and Richmond, Calif., manufactures single strength superphos phate ( 1 8 % P 2 0 6 ). A n e w plant of t h e Simplot Fertilizer Co. h a s recently started operation in Pocatello, Idaho, making a similar material. T h e Anaconda Copper Co. plant in M o n t a n a produces triple superphosphates, as well a s other phos phates. Consumption of P2O5 in t h e 11 western states for the fiscal year 1946 was 90,958 tons of P 2 0 5 ( 7 ) . Potash. Almost a l l domestic potash salts are mined either from Searles Lake in California or the d e p o s i t s a t Carlsbad, N . M . , and the use in t h e West has been on t h e increase. Consumption of K t O for 1946 was 27,389 t o n s ( 7 ) . ,v An investigation of t h e ratio of cash value of crop to fertiliser consumption ajhows that increased quantities of fertiliser have had 'to be used i n t h e West in recent years t o produce comparable dollar yields. The 11 western states produce 1 7 % of the cash value of crops in t h e TEL S., b u t in 1944 t h e y consumed only 5 . 5 % of the fertiliser
*&M
DISTRIBUTION OF FERTILIZER CONSUMPTION IN 1944
T h i s is manufactured b y William T . T h o m p son Co. of Los Angeles but the major vol u m e of it is still imported from the East.
BY GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS WEST OF MISSISSIPPI' 14%
Other N.C., S . O . GA.. FLA. and A L A . 1%
EAST N O R T H ^ CENTRAL 14%
OTHER SOUTHEAST 17 V .
Fig. 1 (£). However, this proportion is increas ing steadily. Weed
Killer»
and
Hormones
T h e problem o f dry weeds and grasses a s a fire hazard in t h e West has prompted t h e use ,of large quantities of weed killers t o kill and burn these weeds before t h e y b e come dangerously flammable. Other weed killers are used for special control pur poses in agricultural crops. Sodium Chlorate. This soil sterilant i s manufactured a t the plant of the Pennsyl vania Salt Co. in Portland, Ore., and t h a t of Western Electro Chemicals C o . i n Henderson, N e v . Large quantities of sodium arsenite and borax are used for weed control in t h e West. T h e former i s usually produced b y companies already manufacturing other arsenicals. Borax is obtained from cpen faced deposits a n d t h e Searles Lake brine in California. ,2,4-D. Although much of this n e w selective weed killer h a s been used, i t is t o o early t o make any estimate of consump tion. N o major producers are located on t h e West Coast. ^-Naphthalene Acetic Acid. This plant hormone has found a definite place in western agriculture. Used a t very l o w concentrations (10 p.p.m.) it successfully reduces the preharvest drop of apples and pears and allows substantial increases in the quantity of high quality fruit obtained. Fig. 2. Consumption ser in western states* 8001
1
1
1
1
of fertili 1936-1945
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