Losses of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from creosote-treated wood products during storage

Commercial wood preservation is a common method of protecting wood from biological attack. A common wood preservative used is creosote and one point of entry of this preservative into the environment is the bleeding of the chemicals from the wood product after treatment. The loss of preservatives from treated wood is not only an environmental problem but also a functional and economic problem. The main goal of this project was to determine the losses of preservative from creosote-treated wood products during storage for a period of approximately one year. This was achieved by monitoring the losses of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAHs) from the treated wood, as well the appearance of PPAHs in the soil pad beneath the treated wood. Results of analysis on the treated wood showed that significant losses of PPAHs occurred in the first 100 days for Red Pine Poles and Hardwood Ties, the first 150 days for Jack Pine Poles, and the first 25 days for Eastern Hemlock Timber. Results of soil analysis indicated that PAHs lost from treated wood did show up in the soil under the treated products but movement of these PAHs was limited. Better management practices on a treating plant scale that incorporate a shorter storage time for treated wood products, as well as a reduced inventory of treated products are recommendations made to the wood treatment industry to reduce potential environmental impacts.