Forest Industry Research Articles

Unlocking the biodegradative potential of native white-rot fungi: a comparative study of fiberbank organic pollutant mycoremediation.

Fiberbanks refer to a type of fibrous sediment originated by the forestry and wood pulping industry in Sweden. These anthropogenic sediments are significantly contaminated with potentially toxic elements, and a diverse array of organic pollutants. Additionally, these sediments are of environmental concern due to their potential role in greenhouse gas emissions. Given the environmental risks posed by these sediments, the development of effective remediation strategies is of critical importance. However, no specialized methods have been established yet for the cleanup of this specific type of contaminated sediments. To identify effective fungal species for the mycoremediation of the fiberbank substrate, we performed a detailed screening experiment. In this research, we primarily aimed at assessing both the growth capacity and the proficiency in degrading organic pollutants of 26 native white-rot fungi (WRF) species. These species were sourced from natural forest environments in northern Sweden. The experimental setup involved evaluating the WRF on plates containing fiberbank material with a central Hagem-agar disc to closely monitor the interaction of these species with fiberbank substrates. Among the fungi tested, Laetiporus sulphureus exhibited the highest growth area percentage at 72%, followed by Hymenochaete tabacina at 68% and Diplomitoporus crustulinus at 67%. For the removal of 2-3 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), Phellinus punctatus led with 68%, with Cystostereum muraii at 57% and Diplomitoporus crustulinus at 49%. Regarding the removal percentage of 4-6 ring PAHs, Diplomitoporus crustulinus showed the highest efficiency at 44%, followed by Phlebia tremellosa at 40% and Phlebiopsis gigantea at 28%.

Cross-Laminated Timber Panels Produced by Low-Grade Yellow-Poplar Sorted by Nondestructive Evaluation

Abstract To manufacture and market a uniform and consistent product, the US lumber industry developed grading rules to classify their lumber. Visual grading is the most commonly applied grading system, although nondestructive evaluation (NDE) could be applied. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels produced from yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) lumber sorted by NDE and compare their bending properties in the major direction to standard published panels by the American National Standards Institutes/The Engineered Wood Association (ANSI/APA) PRG 320-2019. Ten panels were produced with dimensions of 3.75 inches thick by 18 inches wide by 120 inches long. Flatwise bending, shear block, and cyclic delamination tests were performed following ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019. The results of the bending tests indicated that the calculated characteristic values using NDE-sorted lumber resulted in a 19 percent higher bending strength (Fb) than published values in ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019 for stress-rated lumber (E1 and E4) and 35 percent higher than visually graded yellow-poplar CLT panels reported by Azambuja et al. However, the modulus of elasticity (MOE) values (1.56 by 106 psi) were lower than those listed for E1 and E4 type panels. The adhesive evaluation showed delamination in some samples located in the outer areas of the panel, indicating that proper adhesion is possible with improvements in the panel production process used in the research. Overall, the results suggest potential opportunities to utilize yellow- poplar lumber that does not meet a visual structural grade category under Northeastern Lumber Association Manufacturers’ rules by classifying and sorting the lumber according to static MOE (MOEs) values assessed using NDE.

Monomer in situ polymerization as topological sutures to achieve strong interfacial adhesion and long-term anti-mold of renewable adhesive

Integrated long-term anti-mold and high bonding capacity properties into renewable biomass adhesives hold significant importance for promoting the green and sustainable development of the wood industry, yet it remains an immense challenge. Drawing inspiration from the design of molecular suture materials, we successfully developed a series of innovative quaternary ammonium salt monomers (APM12) that polymerize in situ with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) at the interface of bonded adherents. This process constructed molecular sutures on the molecular scale, forming a robust topological entanglement network between the adhesive and the wood substrate. Such a rational structure design allowed the modified soybean meal (SM) adhesive to present a boosted bonding strength and water resistance (2.08 and 1.05MPa). The stably riveting high-effect anti-germ platform imparted the protein adhesive with ultra-long mildew resistance of 150 days for liquid SM@GMA-APM12 adhesives, outperforming all the previously reported protein-based bio-adhesives. The implementation of the suture strategy through an in situ sutural interspersed crosslinking network provided a straightforward approach and offered a novel solution for creating renewable adhesives with multiple desirable properties. Moreover, this suture strategy can be applied to other interface strong adhesion and anti-bacterial materials comprised of polymer structure, such as hydrogel, organic coatings, and membrane, broadening its scope of applications.

Green Packaging Material Preferences among Young Chinese Consumers: A Comparative Study of Recycled versus Virgin Papers and Bio-based versus Synthetic Materials

Abstract Increasing the use of recycled paper instead of virgin wood pulp paper and plastic in green packaging has the potential to alleviate the current pressure on wood supplies, reduce the carbon footprint of consumer goods, and improve the sustainable development of the forest industry. Exploring how consumers’ environmental, carbon, and health concerns influence their preferences for different layers of green paper products can provide theoretical guidance for enhancing resource utilization and promoting sustainable development of the forest products market. This study aimed to identify consumer perceptions of green attributes, assess the impact of environmental and carbon concerns on green product preferences, and examine the significance of paper materials in various packaging layers. Utilizing conjoint, factor, and regression analyses, we investigated young Chinese consumers’ green packaging preferences, focusing on their prioritization of packaging types and the choice between recycled and regular paper over fossil-based materials. The results indicate that consumers prefer green attributes in food packaging, such as recycled paper, paper-based substitutes for plastic, and corn fiber substitutes for nylon. However, recycled paper and virgin paper have no significant difference in consumer utility. For different layers, the preference for recycled paper was slightly higher for outer packaging than for inner packaging and packaging in direct contact with food. Cognitive and affective attitudes toward recycled paper material have a positive impact on both recycled paper and paper-based plastic substitutes, while environmental concern directly influences the choice of recycled paper, and carbon concern influences consumer preferences for paper-based plastic substitutes.

Property Estimation, Landowner Perspectives and Timber Valuation of Heirs Property in North Carolina

Heirs’ property ownership and its associated challenges continues to be a persistent problem despite efforts to prevent, educate and remediate heirs’ property ownership throughout the south. It continues to be a mechanism for land loss and continue fragmentation of forested land. While there have been many efforts to create a metrics to assess the size, and scope of heirs’ property in the United States, there have been few or no known efforts to make an accurate assessment of the value of heir's property for timber, water quality, wildlife, biodiversity, and its role in defining community character and a host of other benefits. This paper provides a starting point with some consideration of these resources beginning with locked up timber value in North Carolina classified as heirs’ property. While most study of heir's property explores issues from a social justice standpoint, this paper explores the economic impact to an essential forest industry. Few studies have been done on the cohort of heir's property owners to examine their perspectives and challenges associated with this particularly vulnerable form of land ownership. This paper will also give a brief examination of recent survey research of heir's property owners. This paper examines North Carolina as a first case study that can be learned from, improved on and refined to apply to other states to better understand the values and/or lost opportunities from land being held in heirs’ property status.

The Fate of Employees of the Lithuanian Forest Industry 1939–1953

The article explores the fate of employees of the Lithuanian State Forest Industry, a separate branch of the economy, between 1939 and 1953, the staffing policy in this industry and specific features and results of its implementation. The forest was the location closely associated with the post-war resistance struggle, because a large number of partisan headquarters and hideouts were located in the forests. As a result, the work of forestry professionals and foresters and their attitude to events of that time were very important both to resistance fighters and the occupational government structures. The majority of them were under pressure to ‘double deal’, with the result that many left their jobs voluntarily as such conditions were not acceptable to them. The article explores all the events related to the turnover and fate of staff in chronological order: their deaths due to all possible reasons, including at the hands of their own partisans or the collaboration of foresters with the Nazis and the Soviet forces; various reprisals – from deportations and labour camps to violence; emigration to the west and the east due to political reasons; repatriation; peculiarities of employment of people who returned after deportation and imprisonment; the extent of employment of staff of Russian and other nationalities in the post-war years in the Lithuanian forestry system, etc. If the number of full time employees of the industry at the beginning of the Second World War (3,900 people) is held as a point of reference, major losses of the industry can also be expressed in the following figures: one in every eleven employees of this industry was killed; one in four employees suffered reprisals and were sentenced for various periods of time; and one in three suffered physical or moral violence. In the post-war years, only 75 Russian-speaking employees were recruited to the Lithuanian State Forest Industry and after Stalin’s death, over 1,000 of people who returned after deportation and imprisonment were employed.

Process safety in bioenergy with carbon capture and storage systems (BECCS)

AbstractIn response to the climate crisis, the United States has embarked on an ambitious program to achieve 100% carbon‐free electricity generation by 2035 and net‐zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The implementation of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) systems is an essential component of that strategy. BECCS is broadly defined as the utilization of biomass energy (from the processing of solids, liquids, or vapors) with the capture of carbon dioxide and subsequent permanent storage in a deep geological formation. There are numerous potential technologies and flowsheets for implementing BECCS, and the supply chains rely upon support from the agricultural, forestry, and solid waste industries. Inherent in BECCS systems are the hazards associated with combustible dusts, spontaneous ignition and smoldering of combustible solids, flammable liquids, flammable vapors and gases, toxic gases, and more. For BECCS to be deployed commercially across the United States, it is imperative that process safety risks are controlled. A risk‐based process safety (RBPS) program can help manage the risks of a BECCS facility and minimize process safety incidents. In this paper, we present two representative bioenergy technologies as mini‐case studies to illustrate the range of process hazards encountered. Process safety strategies required by regulation are briefly reviewed and potential gaps are identified. We then demonstrate how RBPS can be implemented in a practical and effective manner to fill the gaps.

Evaluation of Capital Utilization Efficiency in Agricultural Listed Firms Based on a Three-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis

Rural revitalization is intricately tied to national prosperity, with listed companies in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries playing pivotal roles in driving this transformative agenda. However, these sectors face critical challenges, notably resource constraints and environmental pressures, which underscore the necessity of evaluating capital utilization efficiency. This study employs a combined three-stage DEA model and Malmquist index to analyze capital utilization efficiency across 85 listed companies within China’s agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery industries over the period 2018–2022. The primary objectives are to quantify capital utilization efficiency, identify pathways for industry optimization, advance ecological agricultural sustainability, and offer valuable insights to investors and policymakers. Key findings include: (1) When grouped by sub-sector and adjusted to account for external environmental factors and random disturbances, the initial comprehensive capital utilization efficiency in agricultural companies was found to be significantly overestimated. Subsequent third-stage adjustments revealed decreases in average comprehensive efficiency, technical efficiency, and scale efficiency by 29.79%, 3.03%, and 27.37%, respectively, largely driven by a marked decline in scale efficiency, ultimately diminishing overall efficiency. (2) The capital utilization efficiency in agricultural trading firms remains suboptimal, with scale efficiency posing a critical limitation. High dependency on government subsidies and excess specialized personnel further constrain efficiency improvements. (3) Dynamic analysis using the DEA-Malmquist model indicates low total factor productivity in the agricultural sub-sector, primarily due to inefficiencies in capital management and suboptimal scale allocation. These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to enhance resource allocation and management, bolster talent development and financial management frameworks, and drive technological research and development, innovation, and efficient capital allocation across the agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery sectors.

Corrugated veneer panel thermophysical properties

The article substantiates the need to develop new mechanisms for the hardwood use in modern conditions of Republic of Karelia timber industry. One of the potential uses of birch wood in wooden house construction is building materials production from veneer and slab materials based on it. A large amount of associated waste from processing birch wood into veneer stands out as one of the key problems. A new slab joinery and construction material made of corrugated birch veneer is considered. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the thermophysical properties of a corrugated board made of birch wood. To achieve this goal, the tasks and methods of research are defined. An experimental device has been developed to conduct an experiment to determine the values of thermophysical characteristics. DS18B20 temperature sensors were used to measure the surface temperature, as well as to monitor device operation and the room air temperature. The sensors are connected to the Arduino microcontroller platform, which was used to record and transmit sensor readings. Additionally, the course of the experiment was monitored using a thermal imager Testo 875-1i. During the experiment, more than 1000 measurements were carried out. As a result of data processing, a diagram of the dependence of the density of the heat flux passing through the sample on time, as well as diagrams of the dependence of thermal conductivity and thermal resistance on the temperature difference on the sample surfaces, was obtained. The diagrams show the regression dependences of changes in heat flux density, thermal conductivity and thermal resistance during measurements. The values of the heat flux density, thermal conductivity coefficient and thermal resistance calculated on the basis of regression equations and the values obtained experimentally are determined. The directions of further research of the material under consideration are determined.

Empowering Forestry Management and Farmers’ Income Growth Through the Digital Economy—Empirical Evidence from Guizhou Province, China

Facilitating the sustained and stable growth of farmers’ income is crucial for achieving sustainable development in forest regions. As an emerging driving force, the digital economy has demonstrated substantial potential in enhancing farmers’ income and promoting regional economic prosperity in forest areas. Based on survey data from 1043 households across 10 counties in Guizhou Province, China, this study empirically examined the direct and indirect effects of digital economy participation on income growth among farmers in forest regions. The findings revealed that, first, participation in the digital economy significantly contributed to income growth for these households. This effect remained robust across various estimation methods, restricted sample tests, and when replacing dependent variables. Second, forestry management and its diversification played a mediating role in the relationship between digital economy participation and farmers’ income. Participation in the digital economy indirectly influenced income growth by fostering forestry management activities and their diversification. Third, the heterogeneity analysis indicated that digital economy participation had a significant positive impact on the income growth of pure farming households, part-time farming households, and households that had previously escaped poverty. This discovery underscored the unique role of the digital economy in alleviating poverty and preventing its recurrence. The conclusions of this study provide essential theoretical and practical guidance for empowering forestry development through the digital economy and advancing the digital transformation of the forestry industry. More critically, this research presents a novel pathway for the deep integration of the digital economy with forestry, jointly fostering income growth for farmers in forest regions, which holds significant implications for achieving rural sustainable development.

Methodology For Extracting Poplar Planted Fields From Very High-Resolution Imagery Using Object-Based Image Analysis and Feature Selection Strategy

Abstract. Poplars (Populus sp.), a tree that grows rapidly species, are significant as industrial forest products. The delineation and monitoring of poplar cultivated areas are invaluable for decision-making processes. With the remote sensing technology, accurate detection of poplar planted areas could be determined much faster, more economically, and with minimum labor requirements. The objective of this research is to create a map of poplar plantations in the Sakarya region of Turkey utilizing Worldview-3 satellite imagery. Object-based image analysis (OBIA) through the application of the multi-resolution segmentation method (MRS) was employed to generate image segments, and then three prevailing machine learning algorithms, namely Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF) and Rotation Forest (RotFor) were implemented to produce LULC maps of the study area including 11 landscape features. The most effective and contributing object features that assure high separability between landscape features were determined using a filter-based Chi-square algorithm for the prediction models constructed with SVM, RF, and RotFor classifiers. Results revealed that the SVM classifier achieved the highest overall accuracy (91.73%) with 38 features out of 88 features, about 3% improvement compared to the other algorithms. According to the SHAP analysis, the IHS feature was the most effective one in the constructed RF model, followed by the CI (red edge), NDVI-1 and NDVI-2 vegetation indices.

Possibility of Vertical Transmission of Sarcocystis Spp. in Sika Deer in Japan.

In recent years, the wild deer population in Japan has grown exponentially, causing severe feeding damage to the agricultural and forestry industries. Therefore, the game meat industry is being promoted for effective utilization of hunted animals. Wild animals are not hygienically controlled and can serve as reservoirs for pathogenic microorganisms. However, epidemiological information on wild animals in Japan remains insufficient. Recently, food poisoning-like cases have occurred because of raw venison infection with Sarcocystis spp. As the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in sika deer is very high in Japan and even fawns are infected, this study attempted to verify the vertical infection of Sarcocystis spp. in sika deer in Japan. Genetic detection of Sarcocystis 18S ribosomal RNA in fetal and maternal tissues from early to late gestation in sika deer revealed Sarcocystis Types 1-5 and Sarcocystis fayeri in the mother and fetus. Types 1, 2, 4, and 5 were detected in the maternal tissues of Ezo sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, whereas Types 1 and 2 and S. fayeri were detected in fetuses. Types 1-5 were detected in Honshu sika deer (Cervus nippon centralis) in Mie Prefecture but not in the fetuses. Types 1, 2, and 4 were detected in the udder and milk samples. This indicates that Sarcocystis Types 1 and 2 and S. fayeri have the ability to pass through the placenta of sika deer and invade fetal tissues and Types 1, 2, and 4 may be transmitted orally via milk. These findings suggest that there is transplacental and transmammary transmission of Sarcocystis spp. in sika deer.

Indigenous Feminism in Environmental Sustainability: Zora Neale Hurston’s Dust Tracks on A Road (1942)

Abstract In this essay, I explore and analyze Zora Neale Hurston’s autoethnography The Dust Tracks on a Road (1942) as an alternative to the modern anthropological simplification of nature and the African American indigenous identity. Hurston’s indigenous feminist subjectivity is focused on environmental sustainability and her resistance to anthropocentrism and racialized labor. Hurston’s subjectivity as an indigenous feminist scholar can be articulated as minoritarian in the critical posthumanities since it is not about margin; rather, it revolutionizes anthropological discourse by re-signifying the African American lumberer identity and environmental sustainability in a robust, appealing, and unique manner. She reconceptualizes Black indigenous lumberers by articulating their historical and cultural relationality with the forests owned by forest industries in Polk County, Florida.

Growing Green Processes and Sustainable Business – Mapping Company-Level Motives to Initiate Sustainable Practices Based on the Wood and Metal Industries in Estonia

Growing Green Processes and Sustainable Business – Mapping Company-Level Motives to Initiate Sustainable Practices Based on the Wood and Metal Industries in Estonia

Design of apple recognition model based on improved deep learning object detection framework Faster-RCNN

It the stage of digital economy development in China, intelligent recognition technology is used in agriculture, forestry and planting industries. This paper improves and optimizes apple recognition based on Faster-RCNN, a deep learning target detection framework, and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the improved target detection and recognition model. This study compares and analyzes the conventional Faster-RCNN apple recognition model and the enhanced Faster-RCNN apple recognition model design based on the deep learning target detection framework. From the two groups of recognition model systems under different design schemes, the research and analysis of comprehensive performance, sensitivity and coupling shows that the improved Faster-RCNN Apple recognition model has higher accuracy and more accurate positioning for Apple recognition. The results show that the improved Faster-RCNN apple recognition model can more effectively improve the design of the apple recognition model at the present stage, reduce labor costs, and significantly improve work efficiency. It also promotes the development of the domestic digital economy and provides research support and value for future intelligence and deep learning development paths.

The Design Impact of Wood Processing Industry Sector on the Socio-Psychological Well-Being of Individuals of a Country

The paper focuses on the impact of design in the wood processing industry as an important factor of digitalization and the socio-psychological well-being of individuals. The main focus in our paper is the importance of design in the enterprises of the woodworking industry as a main factor for improving and increasing the socio-psychological well-being of individuals in Kosovo. We have provided the data from the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Industry Department, of the Republic of Kosovo related to the number of enterprises operating in the sector of the wood processing industry, with the main focus on the furniture sub-sector from 2017-2020 (Industry, 2020). In addition, our paper is also based on the primary data, provided by the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Industry Department, of the Republic of Kosovo, related to the current mastery skills on design computer programs of employees of the furniture sub-sector, as well as the level of importance of these skills in the furniture sub-sector of Kosovo. Based on the primary data, we also have analyzed the impact of Covid-19 on the socio-psychological aspects of individuals in the furniture sub-sector. In the focus of the primary analysis, we`ve took into survey 62 firms of the wood industry in Kosovo including all types of businesses: the micro-businesses, small and medium enterprises in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade, Industry Department, and in collaboration with the Investment and Enterprise Support Agency in Kosovo (KIESA) (Industry, 2020). In addition, through comparative statistical analysis expressed in percentage (%) we’ve analyzed the increase and the decrease of the number of enterprises and employees of the wood industry sub-sector of Kosovo from 2017-2020 (Industry, 2020). Definitely we based on some suggestions that should be taken through the government policies with aim for the development of the wood processing industry and the digitization of the furniture sub-sector, with aim to promote a socio-psychological well-being of individuals. Received: 6 August 2024 / Accepted: 31 October 2024 / Published: 05 November 2024

Factors that affecting firm performance mediated by digital transformation in Indonesia’s state-owned enterprises plantation and forestry industries

Digital transformation refers to the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business, fundamentally changing the way it operates and adding value to a firm's performance. This can involve adopting new technologies, reorganizing business processes, and creating a digital culture within the organization. One of the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) in Indonesia, PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero) with a focus on agriculture and main commodities, namely Palm Oil and Rubber, is carrying out a digital transformation initiative with the aim of improving firm performance. Along the way, the company faced many obstacles related to implementing digital transformation and the large investment costs incurred. This research aims to test the influence of Digital Transformation Leadership, IT Capability, Digital Mindset, Work Culture Change, Organizational Agility, Human Capital and IT Alignment with Business and test the influence of these variables on Firm Performance with Digital Transformation as a mediating variable. This research uses quantitative research methods by distributing online questionnaires via Google Form to 234 company employees who use Digital Farming, GIS and SCADA applications. Data was analyzed using the SEM-PLS analysis method with Smart-PLS Software version 3.3.9. The results of the research show that IT Capability, Work Culture Change, IT Alignment With Business have a positive effect on Digital Transformation. Apart from that, this research also shows the positive influence of Digital Transformation Leadership on Digital Transformation which is mediated by IT Capability and Digital Mindset on Digital Transformation which is mediated by Work Culture Change. Then, research also shows that Digital Transformation has a significant effect on Firm Performance. the research outcomes can serve as valuable insights for what factors influence firm performance mediated by digital transformation in the SOE plantation and forestry industry business cluster in Indonesia.

An analysis of the textural properties of activated carbons obtained from biomass via the LBET, NLDFT and QSDFT methods

This article presents the unique research results of the comprehensive analysis of the porous structure of activated carbons obtained from biomass waste materials from the wood industry during activation in an air atmosphere. The porous structure was analysed on the basis of nitrogen and argon adsorption isotherms via complementary multi-method analysis, i.e. the new numerical clustering-based adsorption analysis, the non-local density functional theory and the quenched solid density functional theory methods. The analytical results for the prepared activated carbons were compared with analogous results obtained for commercial activated carbon. On the basis of the conducted studies it has been determined that the new numerical clustering-based adsorption analysis method gives credible and valuable information on the textural properties of activated carbons which are in strict correlation and mutually complement with the results of the analysis with the use of the quenched solid density functional theory method. The research results obtained in this paper, it has also been shown that from waste materials of the wood industry, in a relatively cheap and cleaner production process, it is possible not only to obtain carbonaceous materials almost comparable to commercial activated carbon, but also to manage the waste in accordance with the principles of a closed-loop economy and sustainable development. The paper pays also attention to the often overlooked economic and ecological aspects, which should nevertheless be taken into account when comparing different adsorbents, rather than their textural properties alone.

Analysis of Microplastics in Industrial Processes—Systematic Analysis of Digestion Efficiency of Samples from Forestry, Wastewater Treatment Plants and Biogas Industries

Microplastics (MPs) are persistent, globally relevant pollutants that have thus far been rigorously studied in natural waters but have not been as extensively studied in industrial wastewaters. Samples were collected from the forestry industry, wastewater treatment plants and the biogas industry. An enzymatic treatment protocol for MPs’ detection was applied to an assortment of industrial samples ranging from wastewaters, effluents and condensates to sludges and digestates. The effects of selected enzymes were studied systematically to develop a basis for digestion protocols on industrial samples. Further, different methods of detection (micro FTIR and Raman) were compared to each other, and the samples were visually examined using SEM. The developed protocols in this study were then compared with blank samples, contamination controls and samples spiked with artificial microplastics. This research aimed to fill some of the gap in the knowledge regarding the analysis methods and especially in the type of samples screened for microplastics thus far and presents a systematic approach to MPs’ detection in industrial wastewaters. It highlights the issues with the used analytical methods (such as misidentification) and validates the analysis results with milled, random shape and wide-size-range reference MPs that represent real samples better than standardized, ideal round beads. This study provides the first-ever suggestion for an enzymatic digestion protocol for industrial sample analysis.

CTRing: An R package to extract wood density profiles from computed tomography images of discs and logs

Accurately determining the position of pith and accessing tree-ring density profiles, including intra-ring variations, is important for both the forest industry and dendroclimatology. Although several available methods exist for acquiring this information, such as X-ray computed tomography (CT), micro-CT, and X-ray films, the availability of open-source programs for extracting data remains limited. The CTRing package in the R environment integrates a series of functions to detect precisely the pith and tree-ring boundaries and generate tree-ring density profiles using CT images of tree cross sections. Before processing, grey values are transformed into density using a calibration function. Pith position is then detected by combining an adapted Hough Transform method and a one-dimensional edge detector. Tree-ring profiles along the pith-to-bark path of interest are inspected visually, and tree-ring boundaries can be easily added or removed manually via a graphical user interface. After correcting for tree-ring boundaries, the inflection points of a 3rd-degree polynomial obtained from density profiles are used to delimit the earlywood–latewood transition. We tested this package using 60 CT-scanned images of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) discs collected at various tree heights (0%, 25%, 50% and 75% of the total tree height as well as at 1.3m). The pith detection function had an average mean error of 0.72mm with 95% of the automatically detected pith locations that differed by less than 2mm from their manually located positions. Error decreased toward the apex of the tree. The functions of the CTRing package are flexible and can be easily implemented or adapted. The package could also be used with simple images of discs to obtain ring-width time series; however, this use must be evaluated further. Future work with this package involves assessing the use of low-quality images and ring-porous species.