Treatment of wood by sulfate and hydroxyl radical oxidation produced from thermally-activated persulfate: VOC emission and wood property evaluation

Wood emits volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can affect people’s health and air quality. Based on advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), sulfate radicals produced via thermally-activated persulfate (Na2S2O8, KHSO5) can minimize VOCs. This research aims to apply this technique to minimize the VOC content in Pinus radiata. The results showed that terpenes and alcohols were the main VOCs emitted from Pinus radiata, which were greatly minimized using four treatments; however, acetic acid and 3-furaldehyde emissions increased. Furthermore, the temperature and oxidizing agent contributed to VOC degradation. Characterization results, including FTIR, XRD, color tests, and compressive strength indicated that the AOP treatment caused only a slight decline in the wood properties, while effectively reducing VOC emissions by as much as 32.75–61.05%.