Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Boyd-Shields, Gwendolyn

Committee Member

Khademibami, Laya

Committee Member

Franca, Tamara

Date of Degree

8-7-2025

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Sustainable Bioproducts

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Sustainable Bioproducts

Abstract

Chitosan (CH), a linear polysaccharide biopolymer derived from chitin, is known for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. However, its natural hydrophilicity limits its application as a wood preservative. This study explores the crosslinking of chitosan with citric acid (CA) to improve its stability and hydrophobicity, aiming to enhance its efficacy as a wood preservative. The study investigates fungal resistance against Gloeophyllum trabeum (brown-rot) and Trametes versicolor (white-rot) fungi using the AWPA E-10 soil block test for pine and gum samples vacuum-treated and dip-treated with CH-CA concentrations (CH 6%/CA 3%, CH 4%/CA 3%, CH 2%/CA 3%, and CH 1.5%/CA 3%). The AWPA E4 Water Repellency test assessed radial swelling in vacuum-treated pine samples with citric acid-crosslinked chitosan. This test also evaluated the treatment's effectiveness in repelling water, critical for preventing issues such as warping, decay, and fungal growth caused by prolonged moisture exposure.

Sponsorship (Optional)

U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Accession #7004895

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