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Review on protection of timber bridges in Norway and other countries
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40809
Wood plays a major role in design and construction of modern bridges in Norway. Typical elements of those bridges are double impregnated glued laminated members, stress laminated timber decks, slotted-in steel plates, metal cladding of the surfaces of loadbearing members, and cross girders made of steel. Selected examples of timber bridges in Norway are presented. This review paper gives an overvi...
K-C Mahnert, U Hundhausen


Biodegradation of creosote by white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium and a strains of Pseudomonas
2017 - IRG/WP 17-50329
The aim of this study was to determine degradation effectiveness of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) contained in creosote by white rot fungus and bacteria. The following two species of bacteria Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas sp. as well as Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus characterised by the ability to decompose aromatic compounds were selected for experiments. Bacterial strains were...
J Zabielska-Matejuk, A Stangierska, A Kropacz, E Kaczorek


Degradation of Eucalyptus transmission poles varies across regions in Zambia
2018 - IRG/WP 18-30727
Evidence from literature shows that Eucalyptus poles treated with creosote last over 30 years before replacement. However, in Zambia, the life span of such poles has reduced to 5-10 years. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with degradation of treated Eucalyptus poles and how these varied across regions in the country. A total of 1200 poles were assessed in three differen...
P Ng’andwe, D Chungu, E Ncube


The biodegradation of creosote oil by various species of white rot fungi and bacteria isolated from the contaminated soil
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50334
The aim of the study was to determine biodegradation effectiveness of the selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contained in creosote oil, by two white rot fungal species (Bjerkandera adusta and Irpex lacteus) and three bacterial species (Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas sp. OS4 and Rahnella aquatilis). Bacteria were isolated from the soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons from th...
M Sydow, J Zabielska-Matejuk, E Kaczorek, AStangierska, A Kropacz


COPPER NAPHTHENATE: A Product for All Seasons: Protecting the Americas’ Infrastructure for Over 100 Years and Potential for Expanded Usage in Europe
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30738
This paper is a brief review of the history and use of the wood preservative Copper Naphthenate, with a focus on use patterns within the USA and opportunities for expansion in Europe and Canada. This paper reviews how copper naphthenate has performed to preserve and protect cellulosic and wooden items essential to critical infrastructure, and why it is the ideal choice for use in the replacement o...
M H Freeman, J A Brient, M Manning


Economic and Alternative Preservative Research with an Overview of its Impact on the Dynamics of Wood Tie Markets and Railroads
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30751
This presentation will discuss the Railway Tie Association’s (RTA) efforts in economic research for the North American wood tie industry, along with decades-long research into improving wood preservation processes and its resulting economic impact for railroads. Ongoing research is continuing to expand the knowledge-base by comparing existing standard creosote (C) and borate-creosote (B-C) dual...
J C Gauntt


Potential Use of the Pigment from Scytalidium cuboideum and Chlorociboria aeruginosa as an UV-light Protection Additive in Oil Finishes
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40868
UV-light degradation of wood is one of the top reasons for consumer replacement of outdoor wooden structures. This type of degradation is seldom mechanical, and is instead often motivated by loss of aesthetics (graying). There are numerous commercial products available on the market that deal with this loss of color, many of which contain added pigments to ‘rejuvenate’ or ‘revitalize’ grey...
S M Vega Gutierrez, D W Stone, R He3, P T Vega Gutierrez, Z M Walsh, S C Robinson


2018 Railway Tie Survey and the Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials Rulemaking Activities
2019 - IRG/WP 19-50352
This presentation will discuss a survey AAR recently completed on the management of used crossties in the North American rail industry. Approximately 23 million new wood ties are purchased and installed in the North American rail network every year. The presentation will show the number and percentage of ties which are managed by reused in track, reuse in commercial, agricultural or residential la...
R Fronczak, S Smith


Pigment production by the spalting fungus Scytalidium ganodermophthorum and its industry potential
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10957
Scytalidium ganodermophthorum is best known as a pathogen of cultivated mushrooms, with infected cultures turning yellow in color. The fungus is also used in the art form known as ‘spalting’ to produce yellow, green, and purple colors in wood for decorative purposes. Wood colored by fungus in this manner has been traditionally used in the creation of fine art and woodworking since the 16th cen...
R C Van Court, P Vega Gutierrez, S C Robinson


Impregnation of railway sleepers - Investigation of a system-sleeper as an alternative for creosote treated sleepers
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40896
For nearly 200 years wooden railway sleepers are impregnated with creosote. After initially using vacuum pressure processes for impregnation, empty-cell processes have been developed quickly and are used until today. Because of political developments, creosote will probably be banned on the European market in the near future. The Fürstenberg-System-Sleeper, which combines for Europe innovative as...
M Starck, A Heidel, C Brischke, H Militz


Bioremediation technology for cleaning-up of the soil contaminated with creosote oil – the overall concept of BIOREM project
2020 - IRG/WP 20-50363
The aim of the communication paper is to present the conceptual framework of the BIOREM project, which started in May 2019. The final result of the entire project will be an innovative bioremediation technology that can be used in areas contaminated with creosote oil – a commonly used wood preservative being a complex mixture of various compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). ...
M Sydow, J Zabielska-Matejuk, A Stangierska


An Update on the Status of Industrial Heavy-Duty Preservatives in Europe
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30762
Creosote has been used for over 150 years for preservation of heavy duty industrial timbers such as railway sleepers, utility poles, and agricultural posts. The regulatory regimes in place today across Europe (eg EU & GB Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR)) require a detailed assessment of the environmental and human health properties of wood preservatives at both the active substance and product l...
S Uphill, H Griffiths, M Giannuzzi, A Hughes


Comparative study of the properties of silicate coatings with different mineral pigments (titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide, copper (II) oxide) on the surface of wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40936
Silicate coatings are attractive alternatives to conventional organic-based coatings for wood protection. In this work, silicate coatings were prepared with a potassium silicate binder modified with a methyl siliconate solution, and three types of mineral pigments titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide and copper (II) oxide. The coatings were applied on beech wood and cured under ambient conditions. T...
A M Cheumani Yona, M Petrič


Extraction of fungal colorants for their use in coloured coatings for wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40938
Microorganisms are highly interesting for the production of useful metabolites. Such metabolites are e.g. colorants, that can easily be produced on industrial scale and low material costs. To date some microbial produced colorants are used in textile- and food industry because of their low toxicity and sustainability compared to synthetically produced colorants. However, little is known about the ...
K Kusstatscher, N Pfabigan, M Senoner, L Orlowsky, A Steitz, B Forsthuber, S Niedermayer, R Gründlinger


Glued laminated poles - Progress report after 43 years of testing
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20692
In 1979, a number of glued laminated poles treated with CCA and creosote were placed in a greenhouse in Uppsala, in the Simlångsdalen test field in south-western Sweden and in a power lane in Vuollerim in northern Sweden, in order to study their resistance against biological degradation. The test poles were treated in a two-step process. All laminations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were first...
J Jermer, M Westin, N Terziev


Challenges in managing very long-term field tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30779
Field testing of wood preservatives has been on-going in Petawawa, Ontario, Canada since at least 1937. Many of the treated roundwood posts from these early experiments are still in test, and include preservatives still used today, including creosote, copper naphthenate, pentachlorophenol and CCA. Performance data from selected experiments more than 50 years old are reported and we discuss some of...
R Stirling, D Wong


Benefits of borate dual treatment
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20710
Treatment of railroad ties with borate followed by over-treatment with creosote or copper naphthenate, called dual treatment, has become standard practice for ties being installed in higher decay hazard areas of the U.S. This paper provides an overview of why that has happened. Borate preservative presents very low human health and environmental risk. It diffuses through even hard to treat hear...
S T Smith, J D Lloyd, S McKinney


Why preserved wood is used for infrastructure
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20711
This article provides an overview of the reasons why preservative-treated wood, and creosote-treated wood in particular, products have been and continue to be selected for the infrastructure of civilization. Wood is a remarkable and renewable building material, offering high strength, light weight, flexibility, and availability. Preservation by creosote treatment adds great durability to the woo...
S T Smith


Keeping wood greenest: Maximizing the unique benefits of preserved wood through end-of-life planning to realize carbon sequestration and a circular economy
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50387
While competitive fuels and different energy sources are a main driver of current difficulties with using end-of-life wood products for fuel, that is a potentially smaller problem than the rapidly changing carbon footprints of competitive materials, which can potentially be smaller than wood, if the wrong decisions are made at the end of life by users and waste generators. While users have several...
J D Lloyd, B Poe


Exploring the migration of creosote in freshwater environments: A study on treated wood immersion
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50392
Creosote is used as a wood preservative in aquatic environments and contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as active ingredients. It is critical to quantify the impact of these commodities on the environment to ensure specific uses of these commodities complies with federal and state regulatory standards for water bodies. This study explores Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) migration patte...
I Rashidijouybari, M Konkler, K Quigley, G Presley


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