Biogenic Formaldehyde: Content and Heat Generation in the Wood of Three Tree Species
2017
Tasooji, Mohammad | Wan, Guigui | Lewis, George | Wise, Heather | Frazier, Charles E.
Global trends in allowable formaldehyde (CH₂O) emissions from nonstructural wood-based composites require a renewed consideration of biogenic CH₂O from wood. Increment cores from living Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), and radiata pine (P. radiata) trees were used to measure CH₂O and CH₂O generation due to heating (200 °C, 10 min). Significant variations within and between trees of the same species were observed. Tissue types (juvenile/mature, heartwood/sapwood) sometimes correlated to higher CH₂O contents and greater heat-generation potential; however, this did not always depend upon species. Heating increased CH₂O levels 3–60-fold. Heating with high moisture levels generated more CH₂O than that generated from dry specimens. Radiata pine generated extraordinarily high CH₂O levels when heated, far exceeding the other species. It was suggested that pine extractives might catalyze CH₂O generation, perhaps in lignin. Regarding wood-based composites, findings suggested that compliance with emissions regulations may be complicated by CH₂O generated in the hot press. If we could reveal the precise mechanisms of CH₂O generation in wood, we could perhaps manipulate these mechanisms for beneficial purposes.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library