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Simulation and Investigation of Wood Degradation by Erosion Bacteria in Laboratory Experiments
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20431
A Microcosm experiment was successfully set up to establish, monitor and manipulate bacterial wood degradation under low oxygen conditions. Sound pine sticks were placed in waterlogged sediment from a heavily decayed pine pile foundation site in Amsterdam. The system was subject to different gassing treatment regimes in order to investigate the role of oxygen in the bacterial degradation process o...
J Gelbrich, E I Kretschmar, N Lamersdorf, H Militz


Natural durability of eight tropical hardwoods species from Africa
2005 - IRG/WP 05-10563
Current forest inventory results reveal that there are more than 700 hundred-hardwood species in tropical forests, of which less than 10 percent are harvested and used for commercial purposes. The increased use of lesser-known species can decrease the pressure on current commercial species, increase the value of the forest and lead to better management practices. However basic information on physi...
P Nzokou, K Wehner, D P Kamdem


Natural Durability Classification Systems Used Around the World
2009 - IRG/WP 09-10694
Around the world natural durability is classified in different ways. The nature and rigor of the tests used to measure durability, the method of classification based on these data, and use of these classifications to specify end uses or predict service life all vary. This can lead to confusion among people not familiar with the various systems used. This review describes the methods used to classi...
R Stirling


The effect of low molecular weight chelators on iron chelation and free radical generation as studied by ESR measurement
2000 - IRG/WP 00-10367
The focus of this work was to improve our current knowledge of the non-enzymatic mechanisms involved in brown-rot decay. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR), also known as Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), is an attractive technique for the identification and study of chemical species containing unpaired electrons (such as radicals and certain transition metal species). ESR spin-trapping techniques...
Yuhui Qian, B Goodell


Preliminary studies to assess the effects of aeration and lowered humidity on the decay capacity, growth and survival of the dry rot fungus Serpula lacrymans (Wulf ex. Fr.)
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10208
Novel microcosms were used to test separately the effects of aeration and humidity on the decay capacity, linear spread and survival of Serpula lacrymans. The application of a pumped air supply resulted in an effective cessation of fungal activity when all but the lowest of the air flow rates was used. Furthermore, the lowest air flow rate caused marked growth tropisms away from the stress. In sep...
G A Low, J W Palfreyman, N A White, H J Staines, A Bruce


Statistical evaluation of 'micro-bending' samples for classification of wood attacking fungi
1992 - IRG/WP 92-1544
Micro-specimens from both hardwood and softwood were exposed to selected species of field isolated fungi. The strength reduction and weight loss caused by these fungi were determined. A statistical procedure was then developed to classify the fungi into brown-, white-rot, or non-decay fungal categories based on these data. The procedure reveals the extent of hazard a fungus poses to wood members. ...
B Goodell, Jing Liu, A Homola, J Jellison, J Shottafer


Is laboratory testing of decay resistance questionable as a single criterion for natural durability?
1996 - IRG/WP 96-20096
In a laboratory test set up over 20 hardwood species were evaluated according to the European Standard EN 350-1 including Basidiomycete and soft rot testing. Half of the species used were of a known natural durability. The Basidiomycete testing was carried out using Coriolus versicolor, Gloeophyllum trabeum and Coniophora puteana in a malt agar test similar to EN 113. From this test it was not pos...
J Van Acker, M Stevens, T Van Cauwenberghe, T Seynaeve


Investigation of extracellular mucilaginous material in some wood decay fungi
1996 - IRG/WP 96-10188
The external morphology of the extracellular mucilagenous material (ECM) produced by Coriolus versicolor and Coniophora puteana during colonization of Scots pine and beech was studies using SEM. Specimens were examined in the frozen hydrated, freeze-dried and critical point dried state. All technics produced artefacts but the ECM was best preserved when examined the frozen hydated state. Critical ...
A R Abu, D J Dickinson, R J Murphy


Common Decay Micromorphology “Anomalies” Challenge Current Decay Classification
2006 - IRG/WP 06-10578
Decay micromorphology was studied systematically for diversely preservative treated Pinus radiata and Fagus sylvatica 20 x 20 x 500 mm stakes across 13 in-ground field test sites, during a 6.5 year exposure. New insight into the micromorphology of the early stages of decay enabled new and more detailed interpretation of the mechanism of their formation and suggested that current decay classificati...
R Wakeling


Study of new wood preservatives from biological origin and low toxicity against wood decay organisms (fungi and termites)
2006 - IRG/WP 06-10600
Wood as an organic material is likely to be attacked by living organisms if no protecting treatment is applied to improve its durability. The biological agents, which in Spain, due to its specific climatologic, cause major damage to wood, are the stain fungi, the rot fungi and the subterranean termites. The commercialisation of the products actually used to treat wood against fungi and to treat t...
M T Troya, M J Prieto, F Rubio, D Lorenzo, J J Teixidó


Degradation of wood veneers by Fenton’s reagents: effects of low molecular weight phenolic compounds on hydrogen peroxide decay and tensile strength loss
2009 - IRG/WP 09-20400
Pine wood (Pinus sylvestris) veneers strips were incubated in acetate buffer containing hydrogen peroxide and iron to mimic mechanisms of brown rot decay and assess the degradation of cellulose through analysis of the tensile properties of the decayed wood. The tensile properties of thin wood strips treated with Fenton system reagents or precursors were determined and correlated to weight loss as ...
Yanjun Xie, R Well, Zefang Xiao, B Goodell, J Jellison, H Militz, C Mai


Fungal Attack on Lignin and Cellulose: Elucidation of Brown- and White-Rot Mechanisms Comparing Biomimetic and In-Vivo Degradation Patterns
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10714
This paper examines research and hypotheses that have been developed over several years on wood degradation mechanisms. This information is combined with new data and analyses to explain why wood decay patterns caused by brown-rot fungi and specific types of white-rot fungi are different. New data, including work with both biomimetic studies on low molecular weight compounds, degradative enzymes, ...
V Arantes, B Goodell, A M F Milagres, Yuhui Qian, T Filley, J Jellison, S Kelley


Smart hydrogels from low molecular weight amphiphilic compounds: toward a solution to decrease leachability and increase efficacy of boron preservatives?
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30589
A new catanionic system associating amphiphilic carnosine (AlaHisC8) and lauric acid forms supramolecular hydrogel at very low concentration. This gel was investigated and we have checked the validity of the concept of hydrogels utilization to reduce boron leachability and to develop new wood protection treatments. Impregnation with 5% aqueous borax solution (w/w) and 0.3% gelator agent (...
F Obounou Akong, P Gérardin, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


Classifying white rot decay resistance of some hardwoods from Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia and correlations with their tropical in-ground durability
2012 - IRG/WP 12-10788
White rot wood decay under Malaysian (humid tropical) terrestrial conditions pose more serious threats to the in-ground service life of hardwoods than other common fungal decay types. A study is made on decay resistance variation for a total combined list of 30 Peninsular Malaysian and Sarawak timber species (plus 6 exotic reference temperate commercial woods for comparison) using the laboratory s...
A H H Wong, J M E Jem, Lai Jiew Kok


Hydrogels: a solution to reduce boron leachability without reduction of its biodisponibility to wood decaying fungi?
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30602
Products used today for wood protection must fulfill to more and more environmental constraints, such as being of low toxicity in answer to the Biocidal Product Directory, but also to involve waterborne treatments to limit rejection of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. Boron preservatives have been described as valuable alternatives for wood protection for non-ground contact applicatio...
F Obounou Akong, P Gérardin, M-F Thévenon, S Parant, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


State of progress of utilisation of supramolecular gels for formulations of water-soluble wood preservation salts
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30630
This article is a compilation of the work done so far concerning the utilization of supramolecular hydrogels, built on low-molecular-weight amphiphilic molecules and containing boron salts conferring fungicidal properties. Mixing boron with thermoreversible hydrogels allows the formation of a supra molecular network incorporating boron and important amount of water upon gelification of the solutio...
F Obounou Akong, P Gérardin, M-F Thévenon, C Gérardin-Charbonnier


Recent findings clarifying the mechanism of brown-rot decay protection in acetylated wood
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40827
This paper summarizes the findings obtained during my PhD research over the past three years. The results provide insights which help to understand the enhanced brown-rot decay resistance of acetylated wood with particular emphasis on the role of water. The protection acetylation provides is derived from moisture exclusion within the acetylated cell wall, but the exact mechanism by which water is ...
G Beck


Laboratory durability testing of preservative treated wood products – first attempts and observations
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20697
In the past, durability classes (DC) had been assigned to wood species, sometimes also to homogenously modified wood-based materials such as thermally modified wood. More recently, some standards allow for classifying the biological durability of chemically modified wood, preservative treated wood and wood composites. Even treated products may be subject to durability classification, but necessary...
C Brischke, M Sievert, M Schilling, S Bollmus


Establishing the minimum effective penetration of wood preservatives in the refractory heartwood of E. nitens
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30780
Conventional pressure treatment of many Australian hardwoods results in little to no penetration of heartwood and a non-uniform envelope treatment of <5 mm surrounding a mostly untreated core. This is a major issue for many of the low durability plantation hardwood timbers that are grown in Tasmania, which contain high percentages of heartwood. Long term studies on softwoods such as spruce decking...
J R Vargas, J J Morrell, L Yermán, K C Wood


Through-boring to improve the performance of low durability Eucalyptus species for utility poles: 10-year field test results of pole stubs exposed in Southeast Queensland
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40972
An impending shortage of naturally durable hardwood electricity pole timbers in Australia has encouraged investigation of alternatives containing less durable, untreatable heartwood. Through-boring or drilling holes perpendicular to the long axis before treatment, has been used successfully on refractory softwood poles in North America and might have application in Australia. The use of through-bo...
J Norton, L P Francis, J J Morrell


Evaluation of the effectiveness of soaking of high-temperature plywood in low-temperature oil-based wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40991
We conducted a preliminary investigation to determine if soaking high-temperature plywood in a low-temperature preservative solution could achieve deeper penetration of the preservative, even in plywood made with refractory wood species such as Japanese larch. Specimens cut from commercial plywood (Japanese larch) were stored at various temperatures before being soaked in the preservative solution...
T Miyauchi, S Isaji, H Shibui, N Furuta, J Miyazaki, H Matusnaga


Confocal laser scanning microscopy of a novel decay in preservative treated radiata pine in wet acidic soils
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10215
Light microscopy of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) field test stakes (20x20x500mm3) exposed in wet acidic (pH 3-4) soil for 12 - 24 months showed predominance of an unusual type of decay characte-rised by tunnelling attack of wood cell walls. After two years decay was moderate to severe in wood treated to ground contact CCA specifications and also equivalent retentions of creosote, and a numb...
R N Wakeling, Ying Xiao, A P Singh


Effect of acetylation on decay resistance of wood against brown-rot, white-rot and soft-rot fungi
1989 - IRG/WP 3540
Effect of acetylation on decay resistance of wood was investigated using wood blocks of Cryptomeria japonica, Pinus densiflora, Albizia falcata and Fagus crenata. Blocks were treated with uncatalyzed acetic anhydride for different lengths of time and exposed to Tyromyces palustris, Serpula lacrymans, Coriolus versicolor and unsterilized soil. The action of OH-radical on acetylated wood was also ex...
M Takahashi, Y Imamura, M Tanahashi


Field trial with poles of Scots pine treated with six different creosotes
1996 - IRG/WP 96-30115
In the middle of the 50&apos;s field trials with creosote-treated poles were started in France, Germany and Sweden. The trials were initiated by WEI (Western-European Institute for Wood Preservation). Six different creosotes were used and 40 poles per creosote were installed at each test field. Results after 39 years of exposure in Simlangsdalen, Sweden are reported. Poles treated with a heavy...
Ö Bergman


Management of the wood and additives wastes in the wood processing industries: Problematics and technical answers review
1996 - IRG/WP 96-50073
Management pathways for pure wood subproducts are well known and used; but as soon as additives like preservatives, glues, varnishes or coatings are present within the wood wastes, their disposal or valorization becomes more tricky. The different kinds of mixed wood wastes of the wood processing industries, from the sawmill to the furniture manufacture, are identified herewith and their diversity ...
S Mouras, G Labat, G Deroubaix


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