Variation of terpenes in sapwood and heartwood of loblolly pine: Impact on VOC emissions from drying lumber samples

• Published in: Forest products journal 2006-09, Vol.56 (9), p.80-83
• Main Authors: Thompson, A, Ingram, L.L. Jr
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Applied sciences; Carbon; Confidence intervals; Degradation and preservation; Emissions; Environmental aspects; Exact sciences and technology; Forest products industry; gas emissions; heartwood; Hydrocarbons; increment cores; Kilns; Laboratories; Loblolly-pine; Lumber; Mechanical woodworking and drying; Pinus taeda; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Properties and testing; sampling; sapwood; Studies; terpenoids; Variance analysis; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Wood; wood drying; Wood. Paper. Non wovens
• ISSN: 0015-7473; 2376-9637

A single loblolly pine tree approximately 45 years in age was harvested for use in this study. Increment core samples from throughout the length of the tree bole were analyzed for terpenes. Lumber samples from different locations within the tree were tested for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in a pilot-scale kiln. The concentration of terpenes was also determined in samples from lumber before and after drying. Analysis of terpenes in increment cores gave concentrations of terpenes in heartwood, inner sapwood, and outer sapwood of 1.1 (0.068), 0.29 (0.061) and 0.11 (0.11) percent on a dry weight basis, respectively (standard deviations are shown in parentheses). The measured VOC emissions from heartwood and sapwood lumber samples were 6.21 and 3.27 pounds per dry ton as carbon, respectively. Approximately 50 to 60 percent of total terpenes remained in the lumber samples after drying both heartwood and sapwood samples. The increased VOC emissions from drying lumber sawn from heartwood was due to the higher initial concentrations of terpenes in the heartwood tissue of the loblolly pine.