Environmentally Safe Polymeric Wood Preservatives

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The results of the Phase I study demonstrated that modified polybiguanide (PBG) compounds have the ability to significantly protect wood against fungal decay according to the soil block standard at treatment concentrations below 1% without toxic heavy metal ions. Phase I results also indicated that the soil block test could not quantitatively differentiate the merits of the various wood preserving functions built into the polybiguanide compounds since many of the compounds used showed no decay for the 12-week period of the test. The Phase II study builds on the compounds developed in Phase I, and includes new compositions that incorporate additional functions to afford further wood preserving functions. The specific aims of Phase II are: Aim 1. To synthesize 15 PBG compounds based on Phase I results; Aim 2. To develop low-leaching formulations and select a total of 10 compounds for expanded short- and long-term testing; Aim 3. To perform accelerated and long-term testing of 10 PBG compositions having low leachability and possessing multi-wood preserving functions; Aim 4. To analyze the data to select 2 or 3 candidates for a large-scale evaluation in the Phase III pre-commercialization program; and Aim 5. To develop a commercialization plan. The main goal is to develop PBG-based safe wood preservatives that do not require the use of toxic heavy metals, and at reasonable cost.