Durability and Wood Protection Research
FPL-RWU-4723
PROBLEMS TO RESEARCH
Problem -- Improved methods of evaluation
and analysis of test samples and data are needed for timely and
accurate prediction of long-term performance of durable forest
products.
Methodologies for evaluating the durability
of forest products include the soil bottle test, the larger-scale
fungal cellar, and the field plots. We are assessing potential
improvements to all these levels of evaluations. Potential improvements
include the fungi used, type of soil or other environmental conditions
of the exposure, the techniques used to evaluate the amount of
decay and the statistical analysis of the data. Methods for termite
testing will also be evaluated for potential improvements. Participation
in the standard bodies such as AWPA and ASTM are critical to
this problem area.
Problem -- Environmental impact of
treated forest products needs to be reduced. This problem area
will have two main elements:
(a) New, more environmentally compatible
treatments for wood protection.
We are investigating various methods for
reducing the levels of preservative chemicals in the wood. One
option is to use synergistic effects to combine chemicals at
reduced levels. Another approach is low-level copper preservative
systems. We will attempt to identify and evaluate heavy-metal
free preservatives that target wood decay fungi. This underscores
our need to better understand the mechanisms of inhibition and
control of both wood decay fungi and subterranean termites. One
treatment that we have been researching is N'N-naphthaloylhydroxylamine
(NHA). Since naturally durable species provide a viable option
for some applications, we will continue to evaluate the natural
durability of different species to decay and termites.
(b) Assessment and reduction of preservative
chemicals released into the environment.
In terms of environmental performance of
treated wood, our emphasis is to investigate the leaching of
the preservatives out of the treated wood. Research includes
laboratory and field tests of different treatments. This effort
also includes identification of good practices of treatment and
options for reducing leaching in the field. We will explore alternative
methods of impregnating the chemicals to improve environmental
and durability performance of existing preservative treatments.
One such approach is emulsion technology.
Problem -- Ability to treat a diverse
range of species and underutilized small-diameter materials for
treated wood applications needs to be improved.
We are evaluating both conventional and
alternative preservatives in a wide range of hardwood and softwood
species. Selection criteria for species investigated includes
their availability, their potential contribution to the hazardous
fuel levels in the forests, and the potential markets for the
treated wood. Evaluation includes both the treatability of the
wood species by a given preservative and the durability of that
treated material. For difficult-to-treat species, options for
improving treatability will be investigated. Non-pressure methods
provide low-cost treatment options and the ability to treat wood
in the field. Such treatments have the potential to contribute
to efforts to reduce hazardous fuel levels in our National Forests
by adding value to small-diameter materials. Remedial treatments
will also be investigated.
FACILITIES
- Treating Plant
- Microbiology laboratory and incubators
- Fungal cellar
- Experimental leaching apparatus
- Field site in Madison, Wis.
- Field site near Gulfport, Miss.
- Southern Research Station
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Carol A. Clausen is active
in the International Research Group on Wood Protection (IRG),
International Society for Biodegradation and Biodeterioration
(IBB), and American Society of Microbiology (ASM).
Dr. Stan Lebow is active
within the standards setting process of the American Wood Preservers
Association (AWPA), chairing Subcommittee T-8 (Composites) and
serving on several other subcommittees and task forces. He is
also active within the Society of Wood Science and Technology
(SWST) and Forest Products Society (FPS) where he chairs the
Treated Wood Products Technical Interest Group.
Dr. Frederick Green is
the vice-chair of the Biology Section of the IRG. He is an active
member of IRG and IBB.
Bessie M. Woodward is a
member of AWPA and is active in AWPA subcommittees P-3 (Organics)
and P-4 (Inorganic). She is also a member of ASM, and the National
Technical Association (NTA).
Vina W. Yang is a member
of the Society of Industrial Microbiology.