Abstract
The research was aimed to establish whether dielectric heating at radio frequencies (RF)—an alternative method to ozone-depleting methyl bromide fumigation and to convective heating—could bring green lodgepole pine boards infested with pinewood nematodes (PWN) to pasteurization requirements. Artificially infected specimens were treated using a laboratory RF oven and post-treatment nematode survival levels were assessed. Both tested combinations of 56°C/30 min and 60°C/15 min were effective in eradicating PWN. A power density of 50 kW/m3 maintained for 75 minutes fully pasteurized all the tested boards and proved to be the right combination if no temperature sensors are used. The data gathered supports the idea that pasteurization by RF heating is a reliable and swift alternative treatment to fumigation and convective heat treatment.
Zusammenfassung
In dieser Studie wurde untersucht, ob mit Hochfrequenzerhitzung (HF), einem alternativen Verfahren zur ozonschädlichen Methylbromid-Begasung und zu konvektiver Hitzebehandlung, die Anforderungen an die Pasteurisierung von mit Kiefernholznematoden (PWN) befallenem frischem Kiefernschnittholz erfüllt werden können. Künstlich infizierte Proben wurden unter Verwendung einer Hochfrequenzeinrichtung behandelt und anschließend wurde die Überlebensrate der Nematoden bestimmt. Sowohl eine Behandlung bei 56 °C/30 min als auch bei 60 °C/15 min erwies sich als zur Abtötung von PWN effektiv. Bei einer Energiedichte von 50 kW/m3 über eine Dauer von 75 Minuten wurden alle Proben vollständig pasteurisiert. Dies erwies sich als richtige Kombination falls keine Temperatursensoren benutzt werden. Die erfassten Daten bestätigen die Annahme, dass Pasteurisierung durch Hochfrequenzerhitzung eine zuverlässige und rasche Behandlungsalternative zur Begasung und traditionellen Hitzebehandlung darstellt.
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Acknowledgements
This work is financially supported by a Strategic Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. As part of the work was done through support of staff at FPInovations we also wish to thank Canadian Forest Service that financially supported this work under the Contribution Agreement existing between the Government of Canada and FPInnovations, Division Forintek. The input regarding the experimental design and technical information about the RF-heating by Dr. Terry Enegren is greatly appreciated
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Lazarescu, C., Dale, A., Uzunovic, A. et al. Radio frequency heating pasteurization of pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) infected wood. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 69, 573–578 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-010-0515-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-010-0515-x