The extractives of Pinus pinaster wood

Abstract

The extractives in Pinus pinaster wood grown in South Australia were examined as part of an assessment of the suitability of this wood for manufacture of absorbent tissues from bisulphite pulps. The average petroleum solubility of the wood was 2.0% but the amount and composition of the petroleum extract varied widely depending upon the age of the tree, growth rate and height position in the tree. The resin acids were dominated by levopimaric + palustric acids but large proportions of abietic and neoabietic acids were present along with small proportions of dehydroabietic, isopimaric, pimaric and sandaracopimaric acids. The fatty acids and their esters were made up primarily of oleic and linoleic acids while small proportions of palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, linolenic and other acids were also present. The average amount of ethanol soluble material in petroleume extracted heartwood as 2.8% and was highest in slowly grown trees which also contained the smallest amounts of petroleum soluble materials. The main phenolic heartwood constituents were pinocembrin, pinobanksin, and pinosylvin monomethyl ether while small proportions of pinosylvin, dihydrokaempferol and dihydroquercetin were present. The amounts and compositions of the extractives in P. pinaster wood were compared with the results of previous studies on P. radiata wood. It was concluded that trees from 15 year-old plantations and suppressed trees and the tops of trees from 35 year-old plantations of the former species could be used without substantially increasing the amount of petroleum soluble material in the wood supply.

Citation

Hemingway, Richard W.; Hillis, W. E.; Lau, L. S. 1973. The extractives of Pinus pinaster wood. Svensk Papperstidning 76(10):371-376