IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 61 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


Detection of methanogenic bacteria in mining timber
1988 - IRG/WP 1352
Methane explosions in gold mines have been attributed to spontaneous ignition of methane/air mixtures. Biogenesis of methane in the heartwood of diseased trees has been shown, but never in timber in service. Studies were therefore undertaken to establish whether methanogens were present in wooden pit props. Core samples were removed by Pressler increment borer from props in disused areas 2,600 m d...
L D Abraham, K Westlake, R I Mackie, J F Putterill, A A W Baecker.


Preliminary studies of the performance of iron chelators as inhibitors of brown rot (Coniophora puteana) attack
1996 - IRG/WP 96-10185
This paper describes experiments to examine the proposal that the presence of iron is essential for brown rot fungi to utilize hydroxyl radicals remote from the hyphae as a means of converting the wood into a food source. reliminary test results are presented from trials using three different iron chelators impregnated into Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) sapwood blocks. Their relative effects on th...
E D Suttie, R J Orsler, P M Wood


Reduction of preservatives leaching from wood by the application of animal proteins
2005 - IRG/WP 05-30387
The investigations consisted in the estimation of the effectiveness of protein borates and protein propionates in wood preservation against Coniophora puteana. The estimation was made on the basis of mass losses caused by the test fungus action against treated wood which was subjected to leaching with water. The investigations were performed for Scots pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) treated with p...
B Mazela, I Ratajczak, M Bartkowiak


Regulation of hyphal sheath formation iron-chelator production by the brown rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta
1994 - IRG/WP 94-10074
Hyphal sheath formation and iron-chelator production by liquid cultures of the brown rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta were monitored over time. The effects of incubation at various temperatures, pH's and concentrations of iron, manganese and nitrogen were determined. Hyphal sheath production was observed microscopically and quantified with JAVA video analysis. The hyphal...
Y Chen, J Jellison


Reduction of kiln brown stain in radiata pine lumber after log fumigation with methyl bromide
1997 - IRG/WP 97-30129
Methyl bromide fumigation of freshly felled radiata pine log sections effectively killed living cells in parenchyma to at least 75mm into sapwood. Lumber cut from logs (fumigated and control) stored 1 month outdoors (dry) showed slightly reduced brown stain when kiln dried at conventional temperatures. A more dramatic reduction and elimination of brown stain was noted in lumber cut from fumigated ...
E Schmidt, M E Hedley, D R Page, D Cross


Dutch national environmental policy strategy (NMP): Implications throughout the life cycle of treated timber and for the Dutch preservation industry
1993 - IRG/WP 93-50001-31
All overview of relevant environmental legislation and instruments for control is given for each stage of the life cycle of treated timber. Recent policy in the Netherlands has been focused around the "National Environmental Policy Strategy", in which a general policy with regard to reduction of pollution to the air, soil and water is described. The principle is one of an "Integrated Chain of Cont...
P Esser, D A Lewis, A J Pendlebury


Deterioration of wood viewed from iron nail
1991 - IRG/WP 2368
Deterioration of nail was graded by a five - rank numerical - rating. The rating of nail moisture content and decay of wood were inspected in a mortal-wall of 34-year-old house. The wood was mostly in decay, when the rating of the nail was above about 4, and the moisture content was above about 20%. Nailed wood specimens kept in several humidity room of 20°C for 4 years showed that the rating of ...
H Imamura


Oxidation of wood components during CCA-C fixation
1993 - IRG/WP 93-30024
Pre-extracted radial sections of southern yellow pine sapwood were treated with CCA-C and analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The ratio of C1 (carbon bonded to carbon and/or hydrogen) to C2 (carbon bonded to one oxygen) in XPS Cls spectra was taken as a measure of the progress of oxidation of wood components during CCA fixation. This ratio was 0.82 before CCA treatment and increase...
M Kaldas, P A Cooper


Strategies of risk reduction in sensitive environments - Case studies
2001 - IRG/WP 01-50166-11
The application of risk assessment procedures is based on widely agreed criteria and, whenever necessary, default values. The assessment itself aims to cover a wide extent of situations through "reasonable worst case scenarios". The result, based on the ratio of predictive to no-effect concentrations "PEC/PNEC", is usually performed into various regulations on a pass/fail basis, practically by ban...
G Ozanne


Electrochemical deterioration of wood in sea-water
1981 - IRG/WP 464
In the specialistic literature only few items can be found dealing with the specific kind of wood deterioration called electrochemical corrosion of wood. This deterioration occurs predominantly on marine vessels, yachts, and other marine craft where wood is jointed by means of various metal connectors. Up to date information demonstrates that in wood surrounding copper connectors, when in proximit...
J Raczkowski


A quantitative weathering study of wood surfaces modified by chromium VI and iron III compounds
1989 - IRG/WP 2330
Thin veneers of Pinus radiata were treated with dilute aqueous solutions of chromium VI and iron III compounds and exposed to natural weathering for 35 days. Zero-span tensile strength and weight losses of treated veneers were compared with losses observed in untreated specimens In a study designed to demonstrate the applicability of strength and weight loss measurements to the rapid quantitative ...
P D Evans, K J Schmalzl


Biodetioration and strength reductions in preservative treated aspen waferboard
1983 - IRG/WP 2195
Experimental aspen waferboards, bonded with liquid or powdered phenol formaldehyde resins and treated by various methods with a wide selection of preservatives, were tested for fungal resistance in accelerated laboratory trials. Mold growth on the surface as well as weight and strength losses due to the actions of decay fungi were determined. Testing of board strength after decay in high and moder...
E L Schmidt, H J Hall, R O Gertjejansen, R C De Groot


The movement of iron into field test stakes
1987 - IRG/WP 2284
Failed and sacrificial stakes recovered from the Westham Island field test site were examined for their iron content. Varying amounts were recorded, which were greatest in the failed stakes. The possible role of the iron taken up by the below ground portion of the stakes, in accelerating the decay process and/or the preservative leaching is under investigation. The reaction of the iron with the ch...
J N R Ruddick, P I Morris


Practical considerations of the Formosan subterranean termite in Louisiana: A 50-year-old problem
2000 - IRG/WP 00-10330
In an eleven-year censusing (1989 through 1999) in the French Quarter of New Orleans and surrounding areas, Coptotermes formosanus alate numbers were found to be increasing dramatically in all years but one. Moreover, in parks and neighborhoods in New Orleans and Lake Charles, LA, as well as in Sam Houston Jones State Park near Lake Charles surveyed in 1998, alarmingly high numbers of this exotic ...
G Henderson


Determination of toxicity data for preservatives against Basidiomycetes by measuring the reduction in compression strength of wood
1988 - IRG/WP 2297
Blocks of Pinus radiata D. Don were treated to 12 retention levels with CCA and NaPCP. These were exposed for 12 weeks in agar jars to the dry rot (brown rot) Serpula lacrymans (Schum. ex Fr.) S.F. Gray. After mass loss determination, the same blocks were tested for reduction in compression strength parallel to the grain. Using both these parameters, together with interpolated 6 week strength loss...
J Wazny, J D Thornton


The action of siderophores isolated from Gloeophyllum trabeum on the structure and crystallinity of cellulose compounds
1991 - IRG/WP 1479
Low molecular weight, high affinity iron-binding compounds (siderophores) were isolated from the brown-rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum. The compounds were shown to be inducible by iron starvation and could be purified by ultra-filtration, ethyl acetate extraction, column chromatography and preparative HPLC. The isolated compounds were shown by analytical and immunological techniques to be produced...
J Jellison, V Chandhoke, B Goodell, F Fekete, N Hayashi, M Ishihara, K Yamamoto


A model for attack at a distance from the hyphae based on studies with the brown rot Coniophora puteana
1995 - IRG/WP 95-10104
In timber infested by brown rot fungi, a rapid loss in strength is attributed to production of hydroxyl radicals (HO·) at a distance from the hyphae. The immediate precursor is Fenton's reagent (Fe(II)/H2O2), but the pathways leading to Fe(II) and H2O2 have remained unclear. Cellobiose dehydrogenase, purified from cultures of Coniophora puteana, will couple oxidation of cellodextrins to ...
S M Hyde, P M Wood


A study of methanogenesis and sulphate-reduction: A possible source of explosive gas mixtures in a gold mine
1989 - IRG/WP 1399
Previous work isolated anaerobic bacteria from timbers and drainage water in a gold mine. The present work identifies the predominant methanogen in the mine ecosystem as Methanobacterium bryantii and sulphate-reducing isolates as Desulphovibrio desulphuricans and Desulphotomaculum antarcticum. Laboratory studies using model systems evaluate the activity of methanogenic and sulphate-reducing bacter...
L D Abraham, J F Putterill, A A W Baecker


What is OECD doing to promote harmonization of biocide regulations
1999 - IRG/WP 99-20182
OECD began work on biocides in 1997 to help Member countries co-operate in the assessment and registration of these products. The work is a part of OECD's Pesticide Programme, and is co-ordinated by the Biocides Steering Group. The goal is to harmonize regulatory approaches to allow countries to conduct evaluations of biocides more efficiently. More efficient evaluations can advance the p...
M Paneli, N Grandy


The influence of cement and calcium compounds on the performance of CCA preservatives
1983 - IRG/WP 3221
The influence of cement and calcium compounds on the durability of untreated and CCA treated wood is considered. Calcium compounds were found to reduce the toxicity of a CCA preservative to a soft rot fungus at copper to calcium ratios of 1:1 and 1:10 using a cellulose filter paper technique. Further studies are outlined and some possible mechanisms by which cement and calcium compounds may affect...
R J Murphy


Gypsum effects on ‘dry rot’ wood degradation as a function of environment
2007 - IRG/WP 07-10624
‘Dry rot’ fungi are a unique group of brown rot fungi that can degrade wood away from ground contact where other fungi fail to colonize. Successfully occupying this niche is partially due to efficient water and nutrient transport, but mobilizing elements, notably calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe), from adjacent building materials has also been implicated in their success. Here we report a series of t...
J Schilling, J Jellison


Reduction of Environmental Toxicity Through Eco-friendly Wood Biopreservative
2007 - IRG/WP 07-50243
Many chemicals are used today to enhance the durability of wood and wood-derived products that are very important in our life. Such chemicals are copper, chromium, arsenate, zinc, etc. Though these preservatives are useful to protect wood from biodeterioration, but environmental toxicity is also related with them. The present study is to investigate the fungitoxic activities of Dalbergia sissoo le...
A Humayan Kabir, M Firoz Alam


Micro-Distribution of Metals in Wood Treated with a Nano-Copper Wood Preservative
2007 - IRG/WP 07-40360
The microdistribution of copper in southern pine treated with a newly-developed nano-copper wood preservative was examined to determine if it differed from that reported for wood treated with conventional copper-based wood preservatives. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) in combination with x-ray microanalysis (EDX) revealed the presence of nano-sized copper and iron particles i...
H Matsunaga, M Kiguchi, P Evans


Mechanical strength of wood from the Vasa shipwreck
2008 - IRG/WP 08-20381
Samples from three ancient ship wrecks (Vasa, Elefanten, and Gröne Jägaren) and recent oak samples as reference were examined with regard to mechanical strength using the high-energy multiple impact (HEMI) - test method, which delivers the resistance to impact milling (RIM) of a material. Adoption and optimisation of the test method for the particular sample size of the wooden drilling cores was...
A O Rapp, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, T Nilsson, C Björdal


Serpula lacrymans – calcium, iron, and foundering wooden boats
2009 - IRG/WP 09-10691
Serpula lacrymans is one of the most destructive wood-degrading brown rot fungi in temperate environments. Its virulence has often been linked to its ability to grow over non-woody materials and extract calcium (Ca) or iron (Fe) to promote wood degradation in buildings. This fungus has also been a severe problem in historic wooden warships and in modern wooden vessels, sometimes leading to founder...
J S Schilling, S M Duncan


Previous Page | Next Page