Pesticides released from burning treated wood

Charles K. McMahon; H.B. Clements; P.B. Bush; D.G. Neary; J.W. Taylor

Treesearch

Pesticides released from burning treated wood

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Charles K. McMahon, H.B. Clements, P.B. Bush, D.G. Neary, J.W. Taylor

Year:

1985

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Southern Research Station

Source:

In: Donoghue, Linda R., Martin, Robert E., eds. Proceedings of the eight conference on fire and forest meteorology; 1985 April 19-May 2; Detroit.Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters: 145-152.

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Abstract

Abstract. Demands for firewood are high and rising, and pesticide-treated trees are often an obvious source. Wood treated with five herbicides (2,4-D, picloram, hexazinone, dicamba, and dichloroprop) and two insecticides (lindane and chlorpyrifos) were burned under controlled combustion conditions in a horizontal tube furnace to simulate the wide range of thermal environments to be found in domestic wood stoves and fireplaces. Over 95 percent pesticide decomposition occurred when the wood was burned under conditions of rapid (flaming) combustion.Under slow burning (smoldering) conditions, the amounts released were found to depend on the properties of the pesticides. The implications of these findings in terms of the suitability of using treated wood as firewood are discussed.

Citation

McMahon, Charles K.; Clements, H.B.; Bush, P.B.; Neary, D.G.; Taylor, J.W. 1985. Pesticides released from burning treated wood. In: Donoghue, Linda R., Martin, Robert E., eds. Proceedings of the eight conference on fire and forest meteorology; 1985 April 19-May 2; Detroit.Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters: 145-152.