BORON-BASED WOOD PRESERVATIVES AND THEIR USES

Abstract

Wood is degraded biologically because organisms recognize the carbohydrate polymers in the cell wall of wood and have very specific enzyme systems capable of hydrolyzing these polymers into digestible units. Biodegradation of the cell wall matrix and the high molecular weight cellulose weakens the fiber cell. Wood cell wall components also undergo degradation through oxidation, hydrolysis, and dehydration reactions. The reason for fungi to attack wood is to obtain sufficient carbon and nitrogen for survival. Wood degrading fungi produce extracellular enzymes which are shown to have an important role in biochemical and chemical reactions involved in wood degradation. In addition to those enzymes, low molecular weight molecules such as organic acids facilitate lignin degradation.