STATE OF THE ART REVIEWS

COST ACTION E22: Environmental optimisation of wood protection
Present status of the program work
- Documentary study on the minimal criteria imposed by the European standards
on the utilisation of wood in contact with soil and sea water;
- Development of the experimental methodologies for the laboratory testing;
- Laboratory testing - antifungal efficiency of Tanalith C 3310;
- Documentary study on the status of the research on wood biodegradability and
protection while in contact with soil and sea water;
- Laboratory testing - soft rot testing (SR ENV 807 - second test);
- Field testing - soil fixed test specimens;
- Seawater immersion (SR EN 275).
Next Steps
- Laboratory testing - soft rot testing (SR ENV 807 - first test);
- Analysing and evaluation of test results;
- Establishment by chemical and spectro-photo-chemical tests of the preservation
chemicals leakage from wood into soil or sea water;
- Lab and field testing of other wood preservatives specific to the utilisation in
risk classes 4 and 5;
- Development of application technologies and instructions for the tested
preservatives.
• Insects in Europe, climatical conditions
Xylophagus insects specific to climatical conditions in Romania. The wood as a
vegetal organic product, rich in nutrients, is the main food source for xylophagus
biological agents.
Depending on attack specificity the xylophagus insects are grouped in three categories:
- insects attacking the hardwood in the stores (logs, sawn timber, semi finished
products, friezes and parquetry strips);
- insects attacking the coniferous wood in the stores (logs, sawn timber);
The wood infestation with xylophagus insects in the climatically conditions of
our country is favourised by the following factors:
- physiological and phytosanitary conditions of stands (trees with advanced
physiological weakness as a result of hard vegetation conditions and trees with
advanced drying);
- storing time and conditions; wood infestation in the stores as a result of existence
of focus points in the wood during longer storing times;
- improper utilisation (without suitable protection) of wooden material in the
buildings; Hylotrupes bajulus is the species attacking mostly old coniferous
wood in constructions from mountain regions, with temperature fluctuations
between - 20ºC and +25ºC and relative humidity between 55% - 85%.
Figure 3 shows main xylophagus inspect species specific climatically conditions of
Romania (temperate continental climate).
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