The effects of pH on copper leaching from wood treated with copper amine-based preservatives

Jeong-Joo Oh; Gyu-Hyeok Kim

doi:10.1515/hf-2019-0218

Article

The effects of pH on copper leaching from wood treated with copper amine-based preservatives

Jeong-Joo Oh and Gyu-Hyeok Kim

Published/Copyright: January 23, 2020

Published by

Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Submit Manuscript Author Information

From the journal Holzforschung Volume 74 Issue 9

Abstract

As pH of leaching medium is an important factor in the leaching of wood preservative components, its effects on leaching should be quantified to ensure environmentally safe use of treated wood. In this study, the effects of pH on leaching of copper from wood treated with copper amine-based preservatives [alkaline copper quat (ACQ)-2, bis-(N-cyclohexyldiazeniumdioxy)-copper (CuHDO)-3, and copper azole (CUAZ)-3] were evaluated in comparison with wood treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-3. Radiata pine sapwood blocks treated with these preservatives were leached at five pH levels (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 6.5). The leached blocks were subjected to laboratory-scale decay tests using two brown-rot fungi. The blocks treated with copper amine-based preservatives leached significant amounts of copper at pH levels below 4.0. At all pH levels, the CuHDO-3-treated samples generally leached the most copper, followed by the samples treated with ACQ-2, CUAZ-3, and CCA-3. When the treated blocks were leached at pH 3.0, the degradation of hemicelluloses, which can chemically adsorb copper, was confirmed through Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) analysis. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the ratio of precipitates of the remaining copper in the treated wood severely decreased after leaching at pH levels below 4.0. Subsequent reduction in the biological effectiveness of wood treated with copper amine-based preservatives was not hardly observed after leaching at pH levels 4.0 or above. These results indicate that copper loss at pH levels 4.0 or above is not great enough to cause public concern about environmental problems and reduction of biological efficacy in practical applications.

Keywords: biological efficacy; copper amine-based preservatives; copper leaching; pH

Funding source: National Research Foundation of Korea

Award Identifier / Grant number: NRF-2015R1D1A1A01058630

Funding source: Korea University

Award Identifier / Grant number: K1608481

Funding statement: This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (funder id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003725, NRF-2015R1D1A1A01058630) and Korea University Research Grant (funder id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002642, K1608481).

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.

References

AWPA, A7-12 (2015a) Standard for Wet Ashing Procedures for Preparing Wood for Chemical Analysis. American Wood Protection Association, Birmingham, AL.Search in Google Scholar

AWPA, A21-14 (2015b) Standard Method for the Analysis of Wood and Wood Treating Solutions by Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry. American Wood Protection Association, Birmingham, AL.Search in Google Scholar

AWPA E11-15 (2015c) Standard Method for Accelerated Evaluation of Preservative Leaching. American Wood Protection Association, Birmingham, AL.Search in Google Scholar

AWPA E10-15 (2015d) Standard Method of Testing Wood Preservatives by Laboratory Soil-Block Cultures. American Wood Protection Association, Birmingham, AL.Search in Google Scholar

AWPA P5-15 (2015e) Standard for Waterborne Preservatives. American Wood Protection Association, Birmingham, AL.Search in Google Scholar

Biesinger, M.C. (2017) Advanced analysis of copper X-ray photoelectron spectra. Surf. Interface Anal. 49:1325–1334.10.1002/sia.6239Search in Google Scholar

Copper, P.A., Ung, Y.T. (2008) Comparison of Laboratory and Natural Exposure Leaching of Copper from Wood Treated with Three Wood Preservatives. IRG/WP 09-50258. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Duan, L., Yu, Q., Zhang, Q., Wang, Z., Pan, Y., Larssen, T., Mulder, J. (2016) Acid deposition in Asia: emissions, deposition, and ecosystem effects. Atmos. Environ. 146:55–69.10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.07.018Search in Google Scholar

Eisler, R. (1998) Copper Hazards to Fish, Wildlife, and Invertebrates: A Synoptic Review. US Geological Survey, Biological Science Report USGS/BRD/BSR-1997-0002,Washington, DC.Search in Google Scholar

Evans, F. (2003) Field Test Results After Nine Years for CCA and ACQ Preservative Treated Wood Fixed in Different Climates. IRG/WP 03-30303. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Fahey, L.M., Nieuwoudt, M.K., Harris, P.J. (2017) Predicting the cell-wall compositions of Pinus radiata (radiata pine) wood using ATR and transmission FTIR spectroscopies. Cellulose 24:5275–5293.10.1007/s10570-017-1506-4Search in Google Scholar

Faix, O. (1991) Classification of lignins from different botanical origins by FT-IR spectroscopy. Holzforschung 45:21–28.10.1515/hfsg.1991.45.s1.21Search in Google Scholar

Freeman, M.H., McIntyre, C.R. (2008) Copper-based wood preservatives. Forest Prod. J. 58:6–27.Search in Google Scholar

Goodell, B., Jellison, J., Loferski, J., Quarles, S.L. (2007) Brown-rot decay of ACQ and CA-B treated lumber. Forest Prod. J. 57:5731–5733.Search in Google Scholar

Green III, F., Clausen, C.A. (2003) Copper tolerance of brown-rot fungi: time course of oxalic acid production. Int. Biodeter. Biodegr. 51:145–149.10.1016/S0964-8305(02)00099-9Search in Google Scholar

Guo, J.H., Liu, X.J., Zhang, Y., Shen, J.L., Han, W.X., Zhang, W.F., Zhang, F.S. (2010) Significant acidification in major Chinese croplands. Science 327:1008–1010.10.1126/science.1182570Search in Google Scholar PubMed

Kamdem, D.P. (2008) Copper-based systems for exterior residential applications. ACS Symposium Series 982:427–439.10.1021/bk-2008-0982.ch025Search in Google Scholar

Kim, J., Kim, G. (1993) Leaching of CCA Components from Treated Wood Under Acidic Conditions. IRG/WP 93-50004. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Kokes, H., Morcali, M., Acma, E. (2014) Dissolution of copper and iron from malachite ore and precipitation of copper sulfate pentahydrate by chemical process. Eng. Sci. Technol. Int J. 17:39–44.10.1016/j.jestch.2014.03.002Search in Google Scholar

Lee, M.J., Cooper, P.A. (2010) Copper monoethanolamine adsorption in wood and its relation with cation exchange capacity (CEC). Holzforschung 64:653–658.10.1515/hf.2010.099Search in Google Scholar

Lee, M.J., Cooper, P.A. (2012) Copper precipitation of Cu-monoethanolamine preservative in wood. Holzforschung 66:1017–1024.10.1515/hf-2012-0014Search in Google Scholar

Lee, H.R., Kazlauskas, R.J., Park, T.H. (2017) One-step pretreatment of yellow poplar biomass using peracetic acid to enhance enzymatic digestibility. Sci. Rep. 7:12216.10.1038/s41598-017-12542-wSearch in Google Scholar

Lin, L.D., Chen, Y.F., Wang, S.Y., Tsai, M.J. (2009) Leachability, metal corrosion, and termite resistance of wood treated with copper-based preservative. Int. Biodeter. Biodegr. 63:533–538.10.1016/j.ibiod.2008.07.012Search in Google Scholar

Ministry of Environment (2007) Toxic Chemical Control Act. Ministry of Environment Notification No. 2007-152.Search in Google Scholar

Murphy, R.J., Dickinson, D.J. (1990) The Effect of Acid Rain on CCA Treated Timber. IRG/WP 90-3579. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Nakamoto, K. (2006) Infrared and Raman Spectra of Inorganic and Coordination Compounds. Handbook of Vibrational Spectroscopy. Wiley, New York.10.1002/0470027320.s4104Search in Google Scholar

National Institute of Forest Science of Korea Forest Service (2016) Specifications and Quality of Preservative Treated Wood. National Institute of Forest Science of Korea Forest Notice No. 2016-02.Search in Google Scholar

Niu, Y., Li, X., Huang, Z., Zhu, C. (2017) Chemical characteristics and possible causes of acid rain at a regional atmospheric background site in eastern China. Air Qual. Atmos. Health 10:971–980.10.1007/s11869-017-0486-8Search in Google Scholar

Tascioglu, C., Cooper, P.A., Ung, Y.Y. (2005) Rate and extent of adsorption of ACQ preservative components in wood. Holzforschung 59:574–580.10.1515/HF.2005.094Search in Google Scholar

Temiz, A., Yildiz, U.C., Nilsson, T. (2006) Comparison of copper emission rates from wood treated with different preservatives to the environment. Build. Environ. 41:910–914.10.1016/j.buildenv.2005.04.001Search in Google Scholar

Temiz, A., Alfredsen, G., Yildiz, U.C., Gezer, E.D., Kose, G., Akbas, S., Yildiz, S. (2014) Leaching and decay resistance of alder and pine wood treated with copper based wood preservatives. Maderas-Cienc. Technol. 16:63–76.10.4067/S0718-221X2014005000006Search in Google Scholar

Tian, D., Niu, S. (2015) A global analysis of soil acidification caused by nitrogen addition. Environ. Res. Lett. 10:024019.10.1088/1748-9326/10/2/024019Search in Google Scholar

Ung, Y.T., Cooper, P.A. (2005) Copper stabilization in ACQ-D treated wood: retention, temperature and species effects. Holz. Roh. Werkst. 63:186–191.10.1007/s00107-004-0555-1Search in Google Scholar

Wakeling, R. (2008) Above and Below-Ground Copper-Azole and Copper, Chrome Arsenate Depletion from Pinus radiata and Fagus sylvatica at Thirteen New Zealand & Australian Sites. IRG/WP 08-30460. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Warner, J.E., Solomon, K.R. (1990) Acidity as a factor in leaching of copper, chromium and arsenic from CCA-treated dimension lumber. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 9:1331–1337.10.1897/1552-8618(1990)9[1331:AAAFIL]2.0.CO;2Search in Google Scholar

Westin, M., Jermer, J., Edlund, M., Brelid, P., Johansson, I. (2010) Field Trials of Wood Preservatives in UC3 Retention. Part 1. Durability results after 13 years in and above ground. IRG/WP 10-30548. Int. Res. Group on Wood Protection, Stockholm, Sweden.Search in Google Scholar

Zhang, J., Kamdem, D.P. (2000) FTIR characterization of copper ethanolamine – wood interaction for wood preservation. Holzforschung 54:119–122.10.1515/HF.2000.020Search in Google Scholar

Zhu, C., Osherov, A., Panzer, M.J. (2013) Surface chemistry of electrodeposited Cu₂O films studied by XPS. Electrochimi. Acta 111:771–778.10.1016/j.electacta.2013.08.038Search in Google Scholar

Received: 2019-08-26

Accepted: 2019-12-17

Published Online: 2020-01-23

Published in Print: 2020-09-25

You are currently not able to access this content.

Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/hf-2019-0218

Keywords for this article

biological efficacy; copper amine-based preservatives; copper leaching; pH