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Emissions of sesquiterpenes from spruce sawdust during drying

Sesquiterpenemissionen beim Trocknen von Fichtensägemehl

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Abstract

Large amounts of sawdust are dried to produce particleboard and pellets. During drying and densification, volatile organic compounds are emitted. These may contribute to the formation of tropospheric ozone. In this study, sesquiterpene emissions from Norway spruce sawdust dried in a continuous spouted bed at 140–200 °C have been investigated, and patterns of co-variation between sesquiterpene emissions and drying parameters have been elucidated. For sawdust dried to moisture contents suitable for pellets production, about 10–20 mg sesquiterpenes were emitted per kg oven dry sawdust. The sesquiterpene emissions amounted to about 20% of the monoterpene emissions. Drying at 200 °C caused markedly larger sesquiterpene emissions than did drying at 140 or 170 °C. The sesquiterpene emissions increased considerably at low wood moisture contents. While it has long been known that monoterpenes are emitted during the processing of wood, this study shows that sesquiterpenes are of considerable importance too.

Zusammenfassung

Für die Spanplatten- und Pelletsproduktion werden große Mengen an Sägemehl getrocknet. Beim Trocknen und Verdichten werden flüchtige organische Verbindungen (VOC) abgegeben, die zur Bildung von tropospherischem Ozon beitragen können. In dieser Studie wurden Sesquiterpenemissionen beim Trocknen von Fichtensägemehl in einem Wirbelstoßtrockner bei 140–200 °C untersucht. Dabei wurden Kovarianzmuster zwischen Sesquiterpenemissionen und Trocknungsparametern bestimmt. Beim Trocknen von Sägemehl auf eine für die Herstellung von Pellets benötigte Holzfeuchte wurden ungefähr 10–20 mg Sesquiterpene pro kg darrtrockenem Sägemehl emittiert. Die Sesquiterpenemissionen machten ca. 20% der Monoterpenemissionen aus. Bei einer Trocknung bei 200 °C sind die Sesquiterpenemissionen wesentlich höher als bei einer Trocknung bei 140 bzw. 170 °C. Bei niedriger Holzfeuchte nahmen die Sesquiterpenemissionen erheblich zu. Während die Monoterpenemissionen bei der Holzverarbeitung bereits seit langem bekannt sind, wird in dieser Studie gezeigt, dass auch die Sesquiterpene von großer Bedeutung sind.

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  1. Karlstad University, Department of Energy, Environmental and Building Technology, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden

    K. M. Granström

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Granström, K.M. Emissions of sesquiterpenes from spruce sawdust during drying . Eur. J. Wood Prod. 67, 343–350 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-009-0325-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-009-0325-1

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