Evaluation of Indigenous and Nano Based Wood Preservatives Against Biodeterioration in Estuarine Environment.

Abstract- Although wood is one of the most widely used as a boat building materials, main problem is that wood when exposed to the marine environment is easily deteriorated by large diversity of bio-deteriorating agents. Knowledge on the wood deterioration is very useful for taking the preventive measures in proper time. CNSL is an indigenous preservative which is mainly used by the local fishermen. In this study CNSL is incorporated with Nano CuO to know the efficacy of indigenous preservative with nano based (CuO) preservatives against bio-deterioration on rubber wood in estuarine environment for a period of four months. Rubber wood panels were treated with 0.1% of nano CuO and Colloidal suspension of CNSL with nano CuO (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2%). The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes coming in retention as well as penetration of preservatives, specific gravity, mechanical properties (maximum load and compressive strength at maximum load) and bio-deterioration with respect to the untreated rubber wood sample. Density of the boring and fouling organisms was also calculated on wooden panels treated with different preservatives. It was found that Colloidal suspension of CNSL with nano CuO (0.2%) was giving the best results. Alone nano CuO was unable to give better protection against borers attack, but when nano CuO was incorporated with CNSL, no evidence of borers attack was observed. Better mechanical properties were also observed in case Colloidal suspension of CNSL with nano CuO (0.2%) treated wood panels with highest maximum load and compressive strength at maximum load. It was also concluded that due to the increase in concentration of nano CuO in wooden panels there was subsequent increase in toxicity which gives better protection against foulers and borers attack.