Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 European Journal of Wood and Wood Products https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-018-1374-0 ORIGINAL Multi-technique characterization of chromated copper arsenate- treated wooden utility poles from the Brazilian electricity network Janaína Junges 1,2  · Daniele Perondi 2  · Suelem Daiane Ferreira 2  · Aline Dettmer 1  · Eduardo Osório 2  · Marcelo Godinho 1 Received: 4 March 2018 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract In this work, CCA-treated wooden utility poles were removed from the electricity distribution network and characterized in detail. The pole was split in diferent ratios of sapwood to heartwood. The characterization was performed through constitu- ent, proximate, and ultimate analysis via X-ray difraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The results demonstrate the diferences in the chemical composition of the fractions, especially concerning the amounts of extractives and holocellulose. The FTIR spectra contain the characteristic absorption bands of wood fbers. As shown by the ICP-OES measurements, the gradient of metal concentrations is steep in the radial direction of the pole, tending to zero at the centerline. The XRD measurements reveal that the external sapwood parameters increased because of the lack of chain mobility and crosslinking, which is promoted by the presence of metals. The TGA measurements of the samples of the external pole fraction show initial degradation temperatures similar to those reported for samples with high metal concentrations, while the core samples show a behavior similar to untreated wood. Consequently, the external pole fraction must be treated and disposed of correctly. The low concentration of metals in the internal fractions allows them to be used in conventional biomass processes. 1 Introduction The world’s dependence on fossil fuels has resulted in con- cerns about energy security and global warming. Because of growing environmental awareness, fossil fuels are being replaced by natural products from renewable sources, greater use of renewable resources has been pursued (Akerholm et al. 2004). The use of alternative fuels, such as biomass, is one way to mitigate our dependence on fossil fuels. Since the dawn of civilization, wood has been used for numerous purposes including heat and energy generation, construction and papermaking. In addition, wood is widely used in the manufacture of utility poles for electricity and telephone net- works, among a myriad of other applications (Helsen et al. 1998; Ko et al. 2010; Gress et al. 2014). In the maintenance and expansion of their distribution networks, electricity companies generate many types of waste, such as hardware, cables, wooden and concrete poles, porcelain insulators and lamps. In general, these residues are taken to warehouses for sorting, but only a small proportion is recycled. Wood has a complex chemical structure, formed of many polysaccharides (cellulose and hemicellulose), lignin, and, in small quantities, extractives and inorganic compounds (Poletto et al. 2011). Due to its organic origin, wood is susceptible to degradation by fungi, bacteria, xylophagous insects (termites), and shellfsh. Wood has low thermal sta- bility and absorbs signifcant quantities of moisture (Shebani et al. 2008; Bianchi et al. 2010); thus, diferent preservative substances are used to minimize its biological degradation and increase the lifespan. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-018-1374-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Marcelo Godinho mgodinho@ucs.br 1 Postgraduate Program in Engineering Processes and Technologies, University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), 1130, Francisco Getúlio Vargas Street, Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande Do Sul 95070-560, Brazil 2 Present Address: Postgraduate Program in Mining Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), 9500, Bento Gonçalves Avenue, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul 91501-970, Brazil