The Durability Between Untreated and Chemically Treated Bamboo Against Fungal and Termites
INTRODUCTION
Bamboo, a plant with hundred of uses has long been associated with short life span products. Mankind has long exploited bamboos, like other lignocellulosic materials, for various purposes and reasons (Tewari & Bindhi Singh, 1979). They are used intensively for making a wide range of products such as house-hold items, handicrafts, paper, joss-sticks, barbecue sticks and chopsticks. It is one of the oldest light building materials used in the rural areas and villages due to its availability, low cost, strength, and high yield and renewable nature.
Bamboos considered to have a very low natural durability, when placed in contact with soil (Liese 1985, Kumar et al. 1994, Jayanetti & Follett, 1998), the young bamboo culms in particular or that has been insufficiently treated with preservatives usually deteriorate rapidly by the action of a mixed population of soil microorganisms and termites. Fungi and termites may still colonize even to those bamboo regarded as adequately treated with preservative. The decay and the attack rates on these bamboo may be slower, and the patterns of fungal colonization may also differ from untreated or less adequately treated bamboo.
Trials on the present study on the in-ground performance of bamboo treated with preservatives were started from 1995 to 1997. The aims of these study were to determine and assess the durability between untreated and chemically treated bamboo against fungal and termites attacked in short term ground contact tests. Information generated from the study will help to promote and increase the utilization of bamboo for construction and exterior uses.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The bamboo samples for this study were taken from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia’s (FRIM) research trial plot in Nami, Kedah in Malaysia. Bamboo culms were cut at about 30 cm above the ground level. These culms of known age were taken from randomly selected clumps all had diameters between 8 to 10 cm. They were
Bamboo, a plant with hundred of uses has long been associated with short life span products. Mankind has long exploited bamboos, like other lignocellulosic materials, for various purposes and reasons (Tewari & Bindhi Singh, 1979). They are used intensively for making a wide range of products such as house-hold items, handicrafts, paper, joss-sticks, barbecue sticks and chopsticks. It is one of the oldest light building materials used in the rural areas and villages due to its availability, low cost, strength, and high yield and renewable nature.
Bamboos considered to have a very low natural durability, when placed in contact with soil (Liese 1985, Kumar et al. 1994, Jayanetti & Follett, 1998), the young bamboo culms in particular or that has been insufficiently treated with preservatives usually deteriorate rapidly by the action of a mixed population of soil microorganisms and termites. Fungi and termites may still colonize even to those bamboo regarded as adequately treated with preservative. The decay and the attack rates on these bamboo may be slower, and the patterns of fungal colonization may also differ from untreated or less adequately treated bamboo.
Trials on the present study on the in-ground performance of bamboo treated with preservatives were started from 1995 to 1997. The aims of these study were to determine and assess the durability between untreated and chemically treated bamboo against fungal and termites attacked in short term ground contact tests. Information generated from the study will help to promote and increase the utilization of bamboo for construction and exterior uses.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The bamboo samples for this study were taken from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia’s (FRIM) research trial plot in Nami, Kedah in Malaysia. Bamboo culms were cut at about 30 cm above the ground level. These culms of known age were taken from randomly selected clumps all had diameters between 8 to 10 cm. They were