Gaseous treatment with allyl isothiocyanate to control established microbial infestation on wood

Abstract

Applicability of gaseous treatment with allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) was evaluated for controlling the established microbial infestation of wood in the laboratory. Small sapwood specimens from five wood species measuring 20 mm (T)×20 mm (R)×10 mm (L) were first preincubated on 2% malt-agar medium with placing them on a fully grown monoculture of seven test fungi. After 7 weeks of preincubation they were transferred to fresh medium and exposed to AIT fumigant at concentrations of 2360 and 23600ppm AIT in the air of a petri dish to determine threshold values of exposure periods for each test fungus. The 2360 ppm concentration was not effective forPenicillium funiculosum, Gliocladium virens, orRhizopus stolonifer for any of the wood species-exposure period combinations. Those test fungi could grow even at 23600ppm after 48h exposure whenCryptomeria japonica andFagus crenata were used as wood substrate. Growth of other test fungi was inhibited at 2360ppm with a few exceptions in the case ofAspergillus niger. The required periods of exposure to suppress microbial regrowth were different with wood species-test fungi combinations. As two wood-decaying basidiomycetes,Trametes versicolor andFomitopsis palustris, were easily controlled at 2360ppm after 24h exposure regardless of wood species, AIT treatment proved applicable to the control of internal decay of utility poles and other relevant products in service.