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Abstract
Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and industry partners are cooperating in a study of the leaching and environmental effects of a wetland boardwalk. The construction project is considered bworst casec because the site has high rainfall and large volumes of treated wood were used. Separate boardwalk test sections were constructed using untreated wood or wood treated with ammoniacal copper quat Type B (ACQ1B), ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate (ACZA), chromated copper arsenate Type C (CCA1C), or copper dimethyldithiocarbamate (CDDC). Part I of this report focuses on leaching of preservative components. Surface soil, sediment, and water samples were removed before construction and at intervals after construction to determine the concentrations and movement of leached preservatives. The preservatives released measurable amounts of copper and/or chromium, zinc, or arsenic into rainwater collected from the wood, and elevated levels of preservatives were found in the soil and/or sediment adjacent to the treated wood. With few exceptions, elevated environmental concentrations of preservative components were confined to within close proximity of the boardwalk. Part II of this report focuses on the effects of boardwalks treated with CCA, ACZA, and ACQ1B on populations of aquatic invertebrates. The experimental variables were total species richness (total number of taxa), total sample abundance (number of organisms/sample), dominant sample abundance (31% total specimens in vegetation, artificial substrate, and infaunal samples), and Shannonas and Pielouas indices. The infaunal samples contained the largest mean number of animals and the highest total taxa richness. Although measurable increases occurred in water column and sediment preservative concentrations, no taxa were excluded or significantly reduced in number by any preservative treatment.
Keywords
Wood preservatives--Environmental aspects,
Bridges,
Wood preservatives,
Footpaths,
Environmental impact,
Wetlands,
Copper arsenate,
Leaching,
Heavy metals,
Water pollution,
Florida,
Copper zinc arsenate,
Copper dimethyldithiocarbamate
Citation
Lebow, Stan T.; Lebow, Patricia K.; Foster, Daniel O.; Brooks, Kenneth M. Environmental impact of preservative-treated wood in a wetland boardwalk. (Research paper FPL ; RP-582):126 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.
