By: Adebawo F. G.; Ajala O. O.; Adegoke O. A.; Adekunle E. A.;
Abstract:
Over the past decades, several studies have confirmed that chitosan exhibits antimicrobial and
antifungal properties, which have been used as wood- protecting agent. The chitosan was chemically
modified by introducing more amino groups to the backbone of chitin using parabenzoquinone (pBQ).
However, the antitermitic potential of the modified chitosan has not been reported. Thus, this study
examined the termite’s resistance of wood treated with modified chitosan and commercial chitosan at
different concentration levels (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.8% of modified chitosan (MC) and 0.2%, 0.4% 0.8% of
unmodified Chitosan (C)). Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) wood samples were impregnated with six
different concentrations of chitosan. The absorption and retention rate of the chitosan solution by the
wood were determined while the treated and untreated wood samples were exposed to termites at the
graveyard and their weight loss was determined after twelve weeks. Absorption and retention of
chitosan solution at different concentrations significantly showed differences. The result revealed that
0.4% MC had the highest resistance to termites by reducing 57.6% weight loss of the untreated to
2.19%. It is worth mentioning that the modified chitosan could protect wood against termite attacks.
Keywords: Chitosan; parabenzoquinone; Triplochiton scleroxylon; termites; termites
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