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Methodology to assess both the efficacy and ecotoxicology of preservative-treated and modified wood

Méthodologie pour l’évaluation de l’efficacité et de l’écotoxicité du bois traité et modifié

Annals of Forest Science volume 65, page 504 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

  • • Wood used in outdoor conditions out of ground contact is susceptible to weathering, inducing both fungal decay and leaching of components to the environment.

  • • This paper presents a methodology to determine these two parameters for untreated, preservative-treated and modified wood. Therefore, the wood was first leached and subsequently exposed to fungal decay of the most prominent wood-rotting fungi. The crustacean Daphnia magna was exposed to the leachates to provide information on their impact on the environment.

  • • Combining both parameters reveals that preservative-treated wood and modified wood are capable of protecting the wood adequately for application under use class 3 conditions without posing a threat to the environment.

  • • This proves the suitability of the concept of combining efficacy and ecotoxicology for the evaluation of new types of wood treatments.

Résumé

  • • Le bois utilisé à l’extérieur sans contact avec le sol est susceptible de s’effriter, induisant des dégradations fongiques et le lessivage de composés dans l’environnement.

  • • Cet article présente une méthodologie pour déterminer ces deux paramètres pour du bois non traité, traité avec des agents de protection et modifié. Ensuite le bois a été tout d’abord lessivé puis exposé à des attaques fongiques du plus important champignon lignivore. Le crustacé Daphnia magna a été exposé aux lixiviats de manière à évaluer leur impact sur l’environnement.

  • • La combinaison des deux paramètres fait apparaître que les bois traités et modifiés confèrent une protection suffisante pour les usages de classe 3 sans danger pour l’environnement.

  • • Cela prouve la pertinence du concept qui combine efficacité et écotoxicité pour l’évaluation de nouveaux types de traitement des bois.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Gent, Belgium

    Liesbeth De Vetter, Griet Depraetere, Marc Stevens & Joris Van Acker

  2. Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Research Group Environmental Toxicology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, B-9000, Gent, Belgium

    Griet Depraetere & Colin Janssen

Authors
  1. Liesbeth De Vetter
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  2. Griet Depraetere
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  3. Colin Janssen
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  4. Marc Stevens
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  5. Joris Van Acker
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Correspondence to Liesbeth De Vetter.

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De Vetter, L., Depraetere, G., Janssen, C. et al. Methodology to assess both the efficacy and ecotoxicology of preservative-treated and modified wood. Ann. For. Sci. 65, 504 (2008). https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1051/forest:2008030

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  • DOI: https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.1051/forest:2008030

Annals of Forest Science

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