Resistance of Wood Treated with Iron Compounds against Wood-Destroying Decay and Mould Fungi

Marius Aleinikovas,Benas Šilinskas,Mindaugas Škėma,Iveta Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė,Aistė Povilaitienė,Lina Beniušienė

doi:10.3390/f12050645

Marius Aleinikovas, Benas Šilinskas + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f12050645

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Abstract

Treatment of wood with various physical and chemical factors can change the number of wood parameters, which can also lead to changes in resistance to wood-destroying fungi. This study evaluates the effects of hydrothermal treatments (additives Fe2O3 or FeCl3 with and without commercial tannins, also without additives and fresh wood) on decay and mould fungi resistance of modified wood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), walnut (Juglans regia), and Norway maple (Acer platanoides). For wood samples, the resistance against wood decay fungi Trametes versicolor (white rot) and Coniophora puteana (brown rot) and the resistance against mould fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. were assessed. The study findings showed that wood modified with iron compounds could cause a higher resistance to wood-destroying fungi. The weight losses of the modified and control wood, caused by T. versicolor and C. puteana, differed for coniferous and deciduous: the average weight loss of treated pine, spruce, and fir wood caused by C. puteana was higher than that caused by T. versicolor, while these differences on maple and walnut wood were not significant. The wood hydrothermal treatment with Fe2Cl3 with and without tannins significantly reduced the weight loss caused by T. versicolor and C. puteana, and the treatment with Fe2O3 slightly improved the decay resistance. For the wood, hydrothermally modified with FeCl3 and FeCl3 + tannins, the mould area for both tested Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. was smallest for the wood of all tested tree species compared to other treatments. A different response was obtained for coniferous and deciduous tree species wood. The spruce wood, followed by fir wood, treated with FeCl3 with and without tannins, was the most resistant against the mould fungi. Relatively low resistance against the mould fungi was fixed for the maple wood treated by various iron compounds, except the treatment with Fe2O3 + tannins, which gave a very positive response against the Penicillium sp.

Highlights

Natural wood and wood products with high availability of oxygen, nutrients, and moisture content can be degraded by wood-destroying organisms
All wood samples were covered by white rot fungi Trametes versicolor and brown rot fungi Coniophora puteana mycelia
The present study was designed to determine the effect of different hydrothermal treatments (Fe2 O3, Fe2 O3 + tannins, FeCl3, FeCl3 + tannins, including Control 1 or the treatment without additives and Control 2 or the fresh wood) on wood resistance to decay and mould fungi (Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp.)

Summary

Introduction

Natural wood and wood products with high availability of oxygen, nutrients, and moisture content can be degraded by wood-destroying organisms. The microbialdegradable carbohydrates and polar hydroxyls in wood absorb moisture, making wood an attractive material for active biological agents from the environment [1,2]. Despite the fact that it is a very important degradation stage of organic material under natural conditions, it significantly reduces the ability to use the wood for the wood industry, outdoor and indoor constructions, etc. It significantly shortens the time of wood products use

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