Author Description

Wood Deterioration and Preservation: Advances in Our Changing World discusses the biodegradation mechanisms by which decay fungi, termites, and marine borers attack wood and how wood products can be protected from these organisms. This book links wood deterioration mechanisms to free radical generation, which can aid in the development of both new and relatively safe wood protection systems. Both new and traditional methods to detect decay fungi and termites are presented. Furthermore, several chapters describe how understanding these degradation mechanisms can be used to benefit humanity. A portion of the book discusses the current and future status of wood preservation methods. Preservatives currently used to treat wood are coming under increasing environmental scrutiny, and the biocides used to treat wood will dramatically change over the next few years. The need to conserve the world's forests, and to find economical and environmentally benign methods to protect our homes and other wood structures, was the major reason for this book.