IRG Documents Database and Compendium


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A new approach to the maintenance of wooden railway sleepers. (Final Report)
1992 - IRG/WP 92-3724
The micro-environment of wooden railway sleepers was investigated to assess their condition, to determine the necessary treatment, repair and replacement criteria. In the final report the secondary preservative treatment of wooden sleepers with solid boron rods is discussed; the complete development of an in-situ, non-destructive test method based on structural dynamics analysis is described. The ...
W Beauford, A M Brown, D J Dickinson


Performance of borate-treated sill plates (dodai) in a protected, above-ground field test in Japan
2002 - IRG/WP 02-30278
This document is supplemental to the previous IRG document (IRG/WP 2000-30239). An experiment to simulate the dodai (sill plate) of the Japanese houses was conducted at the termite field test site of the Wood Research Institute in Kagoshima, Japan where two economically important subterranean termite species [Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe)] are established. DOT...
K Tsunoda, A Adachi, A Byrne, P I Morris, J K Grace


Timber deterioration and its prevention in marine environment
2005 - IRG/WP 05-10559
Wood-borer activity is an established fact in Mumbai harbour that leads to severe deterioration of timber. In order to prevent the deterioration caused by wood borers three resin preservatives containing Zinc borate, Organo-copper polymer (4 wt% Cu) and Organo-Tin polymer Copoly(TBTM-MMA) were used for timber treatment. Test panels were treated using standard method and the...
B S Swami, M Udhayakumar, P Kumar, A B Samui


New boron-based biocides for the protection of wood
2002 - IRG/WP 02-30283
Boric acid and other simple inorganic oxides of boron are amongst the oldest wood preservatives currently in use. Their relatively low toxicity and broad-spectrum activity are just some of their desirable characteristics. The primary disadvantage associated with conventional boron-based preservatives is their lack of permanence in exposed applications. A collaborative project between CSIRO and the...
D G Humphrey, P J Duggan, E M Tyndall, J M Carr, L J Cookson


The effect of pretreatments on the impregnation of air-dried sawn Belgian spruce
1988 - IRG/WP 3490
In general the impregnation of airdried spruce results in a variable treatment and limited penetration. This is the result of pit aspiration that occurs during drying of the spruce sapwood and heartwood. Spruce timber is becoming of greater importance in Belgium and hence research for better treatment of this vulnerable wood species is needed. Squared airdried timber of different dimensions were e...
J Van Acker, M Stevens


Borate-treated food affects survival, vitamin B12 content, and digestive processes of subterranean termites
1990 - IRG/WP 1448
Toxicity of boron compounds was studied by analyzing survival rates and vitamin B12 contents in Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, that were exposed to dietary treatments for 10 days. The dietary treatments applied in moistened cellulose were (a) 0.05% boric acid equivalent (BAE) of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, (b) 0.05% BAE of anmonium pentaborate plus sodium sul...
L H Williams, S I Sallay, J A Breznak


Prevention of Termite Tubing Over Non-Wood Construction Materials Using Glycol Borate
2004 - IRG/WP 04-30358
Glycol borates have been demonstrated to prevent termite tubing and attack of wood materials and are extensively used as termite preventative applications in new construction in the USA. This study evaluated the ability of such systems to prevent Formosan subterranean termite tubing over non-wood materials. Concrete was selected as a common inert construction material and tests were carried out ...
W R Smith, J D Lloyd


Alternatives to preliminary oven-drying prior to spot-testing treated timber for borate or TBTN preservative penetration
1995 - IRG/WP 95-20067
Commonly-used penetration test procedures for timber treated with borate or organotin wood preservatives demand preliminary oven-drying before application of the spot-testing reagent(s), in order to achieve reliable results. The delay of 12 hours or more during oven drying is often a nuisance. Modifications to the spot-testing procedures, involving alternative solvents and acidification conditions...
M J Kennedy, A Zosars, J Norton


Resistance of borate-treated lumber to subterranean termites in the field
1998 - IRG/WP 98-10255
Borate-treated wood samples were tested for their resistance against subterranean termites in the field. Wood samples (10.5x10.5x40cm3) of western hemlock were pressure impregnated with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), and assigned into two groups on the basis of boron contents:high retention (1.5-2.2%BAE) and low retention(O.7~1.3%BAE). Eight rep...
K Tsunoda, A Adachi, T Yoshimura, A Byrne, P I Morris, J K Grace


Multicomponent biocide systems protect wood from decay fungi, mold fungi, and termites for interior applications
2004 - IRG/WP 04-30333
Concerns about indoor air quality due to mold growth have increased dramatically in the United States. In the absence of proper moisture management, fungicides need to be developed for indoor use to control mold establishment. An ideal fungicide for prevention of indoor mold growth on wood-based materials needs to specifically prevent spore germination and provide long-term protection under condit...
C A Clausen,V W Yang


Laboratory Evaluation of the Formosan Subterranean Termite Resistance of Borate-treated Rubberwood Chipboard
2004 - IRG/WP 04-30359
Both no-choice and two-choice 4-week AWPA laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the resistance of borate-treated rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) chipboard prepared from a commercial mill run, against the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus. Boric acid (technical granular) was incorporated into the boards during manufacture to achieve loadings of 1.0% or 1.1% boric acid equiv...
A H H Wong, J K Grace


Diffusion modeling of inorganic wood preservative leaching in service
2005 - IRG/WP 05-50224-5
To evaluate the potential environmental and health implications of leaching of inorganic wood preservatives in service under different conditions, there is a need for a predictive model that provides estimates of the rate and extent of leaching over a wide range of product dimensions and exposure conditions. In this paper, we show that the leaching behavior of inorganic preservative components fr...
L Waldron, P A Cooper, Y T Ung


Performance of Borate-treated lumber in a four-year, above-ground termite field test in Hawaii
2001 - IRG/WP 01-30265
We report the fourth year of field study results from a protected above-ground field test in Hawaii simulating the sill plate (dodai) used in conventional Japanese housing construction. Field tests were established in both Hawaii and Japan to examine the efficacy of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT, 2% and 3% shell and through) wood treatments. In Hawaii, chromated copper arsenate (CCA, 4 kg/...
J K Grace, R J Oshiro, A Byrne, P I Morris, K Tsunoda


Influence of surface coating on the leachability of boric acid and bifluorides from spruce wood
1995 - IRG/WP 95-50050
In the Netherlands, window joinery made from non-durable timber species (spruce) are widely protected with preservative rods. These rods contain non-fixing wood preservatives (e.g. bifluorides or boric acid). This reseach was performed to show the possible influence of a coating system to hinder the leaching of the active ingredients. The results of the leaching tests show, that bifluorides and ev...
W J Homan, H Militz


Six-year Report on the Performance of Borate-treated Lumber in an Above-ground Termite Field Test in Hawaii
2004 - IRG/WP 04-30343
We report the fifth and sixth years of field study results from a protected above-ground field test in Hawaii simulating the sill plate (dodai) used in conventional Japanese housing construction. Field tests were established in both Hawaii and Japan to examine the efficacy of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT, 2% and 3% BAE shell and through) wood treatments. In Hawaii, chromated copper arsen...
J K Grace, A Byrne, P I Morris, K Tsunoda


Mobility of zinc borate wood composite preservative
1997 - IRG/WP 97-30153
Zinc borate (ZB) is being used as an antifungal and insecticidal wood preservative for flake/strand-based composites. Data is reported on the laboratory and field leaching behavior of ZB when contained in apen flake composites. In general, the performance results correlate with leaching hazard. Although the boron in ZB is more resistant to depletion than in sodium borates, the ZB boron will deplet...
P E Laks, M J Manning


Resistance of borate-treated lumber to subterranean termites under protected, above-ground conditions
2000 - IRG/WP 00-30239
An experiment to simulate the dodai (sill plate) of the Japanese houses was conducted at the termite field test site of Wood Research Institute in Kagoshima, Japan where two economically important subterranean termite species [Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe)] are established. DOT(disodium octaborate tetrahydrate)-treated hem-fir samples [Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.)...
K Tsunoda, A Adachi, T Yoshimura, A Byrne, P I Morris, J K Grace


Preservation of wood composites with zinc borate
1995 - IRG/WP 95-30074
Inorganic borates such as boric acid, borax, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, and zinc borate can be incorporated into wood composites such as waferboard to impart decay and insect resistance to the final product. Zinc borate is especially well suited for this application due to its efficacy and leach resistance. The paper summarizes the work performed to date in this area. The effects on strengt...
P E Laks, M J Manning


Performance of Borate-Treated Wood Against Reticulitermes flavipes in Above-Ground Protected Conditions
2003 - IRG/WP 03-30309
Termites cause economically significant damage in Canada only in a few localized areas. However, one of those is in Canada’s largest city, Toronto, Ontario. In 1996, a test was set up of borate-treated lumber above ground, protected from rain but exposed to subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) in Kincardine Ontario. The material included western hemlock and amabilis fir lumber trea...
P I Morris, J K Grace, K Tsunoda, A Byrne


Comparison of the inhibitory effects of borate, germanate, tellurate, arsenite and arsenate on 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase
1991 - IRG/WP 1508
Sodium borate inhibits the enzymatic activity of many dehydrogenases, and it is thought that this is due to the complexation of the borate anion with the coenzyme nucleotide. It has been suggested in the past that complexation of this type, leading to enzyme inhibition and other biological effects, is responsible for the inhibition of fungal growth and consequently the protection of boron treated ...
J D Lloyd, D J Dickinson


The influence of drilling patterns on the distribution of toxicants from Polesaver Rods in hardwood poles
1994 - IRG/WP 94-30051
Polesaver Rods are solid rods of wood preservative that are used as a groundline maintenance treatment to control biodeterioration in hardwood transmission poles in Australia. The rods are inserted in holes that are drilled in a prescribed manner to distribute the toxicants into the critical groundline region of the poles. To determine the influence of drilling patterns on the distribution of toxi...
W D Gardner, C N McEvoy


Preservative treatment of green timber by soaking in ammoniacal copper borate
1984 - IRG/WP 3292
Freshly sawn boards of radiata pine sapwood were preservative treated by soaking in ammoniacal copper borate. Optimum schedules were obtained by partially seasoning the boards for one week prior to treatment. This aided the absorption of preservative and reduced the required soaking time to approximately 2 hours. Complete boron penetration was obtained after one week of block storage under cover a...
P Vinden, A J McQuire


Basidiospore germination threshold against borate in-vitro may vary between liquid and agar media
1992 - IRG/WP 92-2405
The concentration of disodium octaborate (BAE) which prevented mycelial growth of a common brown rot and 3 white rot fungi was compared to that required to prevent basidiospore germination on malt extract agar. Spore germination sensitivity was lower (50%) for only one of the white rot fungi. However, when spore germination thresholds were tested in malt extract-borate solutions in well slides (no...
E L Schmidt, Ya-Lih Lin


A comparison of the diffusion of boron from two types of solid preservative rods into the heartwood of 3 Eucalypt pole species
2000 - IRG/WP 00-30227
The ability of boron to diffuse from polyborate and boron/fluoride rods through the heartwood of three eucalypt pole species (blackbutt, red ironbark and spotted gum) was examined. The aim was simply to determine the effects of rod type, wood species and time on the longitudinal diffusion of boron in eucalypt heartwood. Rapid diffusion of boron from polyborate or boron/fluoride preservative rods o...
P J Beutel, P D Evans


Ten year performance of l-joints made from borate diffusion treated wood
2000 - IRG/WP 00-30225
While there are decades of experience with borate-treated wood in coated, exterior applications in New Zealand and the UK, other countries have been more reluctant to use this process. As part of a research program on the potential use of borates by the Canadian wood products industry, Forintek set up, in 1990, an L-joint test of untreated and borate-diffusion treated hem-fir (western hemlock and ...
P I Morris


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