Leaching of Copper from ACQ treated wood exposed above ground
IRG/WP 04-50219
P A Chung, J N R Ruddick
The leaching of chemicals of ACQ Type C treated wood exposed above ground for 16 months was studied. Commercially treated Hem-fir boards (Tsuga heterophylla Raf. and Amabilis fir Forb) of 37.5 mm by 87.5 mm were used. The amounts of chemical leached monthly by the rainfall were determined and the leachate was collected and analyzed. Also, the environmental factors influencing the leaching were studied. The results showed that the first four months of exposure caused the greatest loss of copper (ranged 296.12 mg/m² - 593.37 mg/m²). From the fifth month onwards, the amount of copper leached begins to decrease. After 16 month of exposure, the percentage of copper leached was 3.95% from the weight uptake and 4.96% from the volume treated. The environmental
factors influencing the leaching were time of exposure, volume of leachate collected, sun hours and temperature.
Keywords: Leaching, ACQ, decking, field exposure, copper