Improper management of lignocellulosic biomass generated from agricultural activities would lead to serious environmental problems. Pyrolysis offers a simple yet efficient alternative technique where Pyroligneous acid (PA) is a major by-product obtained during slow pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, the potential anti-termites and anti-fungal properties for PA obtained from the pyrolysis of pineapple waste biomass were investigated. PA from pineapple waste biomass showed insignificant inhibition properties against both Pycnoporus sanguineus and Coriolus versicolor, but were successful in inhibiting the growth of both Aspergillus niger and Botryodiplodia theobromae for 7 days when applied at 70% (v/v) and 100% (v/v) concentrations. PA also exhibited good anti-termites properties based on the 100% mortality of Coptotermes curvignathus after one week incubation. GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic compounds and phenol with ortho substituents such as 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol. Both compounds have been reported to play an important role in termiticidal activity from previous studies. This study indicates that PA from pineapple waste can act as antifungal and antitermite agents but not as anti-wood decaying fungi. This result can be used as a good preliminary indication for future application of PA from pineapple waste biomass as wood preservative.
New approaches for assessing wood durability are needed to help categorize decay resistance as timber utilization shifts towards plantations or native forest regrowth that may be less durable than original native forest resources. This study evaluated attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy combined with principal component analysis (PCA) for distinguishing between groups of Alaska yellow cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis) wood for susceptibility to two decay fungi (Gloeophyllum trabeum and Rhodonia placenta) and the eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes). Alaska yellow cedar durability varied with test organisms, but the majority of samples were highly resistant to fungal and termite attack. Weight losses and extractives yield using sequential extractions (toluene:ethanol > ethanol > hot water) showed moderate to weak relationships. PCA analysis revealed limited ability to distinguish amongst levels of wood durability to all tested organisms. The absence of non-resistant samples may have influenced the ability of the chemometric methods to accurately categorize durability.
Wood extractives are considered the major factor determining the natural durability of wood. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was assessed for rapid determination of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook. var. occidentalis) durability based on extractives in heartwood, sapwood-heartwood and sapwood regions. Durability was assessed by exposing samples to brown-rot decay fungi [Gloeophyllum trabeum (Pers.) Murrill and Rhodonia placenta (Fr.) Niemelä, K.H. Larss. & Schigel] or eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes Kollar). Durability classifications were compared to their extractive contents, along with ATR-FTIR spectra of extracted and unextracted blocks to establish relationships using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Western juniper durability varied with test organisms, but the majority of samples had high fungal and termite resistance. Moderate to weak connections were observed between durability and extractive content, but HCA and PCA analysis were unable to classify durability with accuracy. The absence of non-resistant samples may have influenced the ability of the chemometric methods to accurately categorize durability.
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