Termite resistance of solid wood and plywood treated with quaternary ammonia compounds and common fire retardants

• Published in: International biodeterioration & biodegradation Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 565 - 568
• Main Authors: Terzi, Evren, Taşçioğlu, Cihat, Kartal, S. Nami, Yoshimura, Tsuyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2011
• Subjects: ammonia; ammonium chloride; Ammonium salt; ammonium sulfate; Coptotermes formosanus; diammonium phosphate; Fire retardants; flame retardants; Isoptera; monoammonium phosphate; mortality; plywood; Quaternary ammonia compound; Subterranean termites; Termite resistance; wood; Ammonium salt; Subterranean termites; Quaternary ammonia compound; Fire retardants; Termite resistance; Coptotermes formosanus
• ISSN: 0964-8305; 1879-0208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ibiod.2010.10.014

The ability of termites to attack solid wood and plywood treated with quaternary ammonia compounds and common fire retardants was evaluated. The plywood and solid-wood specimens treated with either monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), ammonium sulfate (AS), didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC), or didecyl dimethyl ammonium tetrafluoroborate (DBF) were subjected to termite resistance tests using the subterranean termites Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki under laboratory conditions. The lowest mass losses and the highest termite mortalities were obtained for the solid-wood and plywood specimens treated with DDAC and DBF. Higher termite mortalities were seen in the plywood specimens treated with the fire retardants when compared to the solid-wood specimens. The MAP, DAP, and AS treatments lowered the mass losses in both solid-wood and plywood specimens in comparison with control specimens; however, DBF and DDAC protected specimens well against termite attack at both concentration levels tested.