Copper and chromium based wood preservatives remained one of the most important ingredients for wood protection solutions for protection of wood in demanding applications all-over the world. Leaching of heavy metals from treated wood is important from two different aspects; firstly from performance point of view, and secondly from environmental issues. However, the importance of these studies is interesting from service life prediction point of view as well. Sufficient amounts of copper and chromium in wood is required to ensure sufficient level of protection. In order to elucidate this phenomenon, Norway spruce wood and pine sapwood was treated with copper-chromium based preservative solutions and afterward exposed in use class 4 and use class 3 applications. After respective periods of exposure, specimens were isolated and remained copper and chromium in wood was determined. The results showed that more than 80% of the copper and 90% of the chromium remained in the treated material after 24 months of exposure in Hamburg, Germany, or after 30 to 42 months of exposure in UC 3 at the Slovenian test site in Ljubljana.

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