Copper-ethanolamine based wood preservatives are most important solutions for protecting wood in soil applications. Wood in the soil is exposed to bacteria and other organisms which decay wood. In soil with high moisture, the most common are soft rot fungi. So far, no facts of exposure of copper-ethanolamine preserved wood against soft rot fungi are reported. To simulate these conditions in the laboratory, Scots pine specimens impregnated with 3 different concentrations of copper-ethanolamine preservatives were exposed to 3 different soil from 12 to 32 weeks. After the exposure, samples were isolated and their mass loss, bending strength and modules of elasticity determined. The remaining copper in the samples were also determined. Results showed that in spite of significant copper leaching, the tested copper-ethanolamine treated samples exhibited good performance in ground applications. Results show a good correlation between mechanical properties and mass loss determined, regardless of the chemical treatment applied.
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