Creosote treated timber in the Alaskan marine environment : Volume I.

Details

• Creators:
  Perkins, Robert A.
• Corporate Creators:
  Alaska University Transportation Center ; Alaska. Dept. of Transportation. Research, Development, and Technology Transfer
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Timber construction
  • Creosote
  • Protective coatings
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-AK-RD-09-08 ; INE/AUTC 11.20
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Alaska
• Corporate Publisher:
  Alaska University Transportation Center
• Abstract:
  ADOT&PF is responsible for many structures that incorporate wood pilings and other timber in Alaska waters. Most are treated with preservative to inhibit marine borers ; that will quickly destroy unprotected wood. Creosote is generally the most economical preservative and has been used for over a hundred years. Creosote contains many ; toxic chemicals and some governments and organizations are limiting its use. This project reviewed current science regarding use of creosoted wood in marine waters and ; the current regulatory matrix that controls its use, and developed recommendations for its use. Even with best management practices, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ; from new creosote timber will be transferred to the marine environment. Laboratory tests and field observations show that PAH chemicals slowly diffuse from the wood ; into the water column. The heavier PAH chemicals sink to the bottom directly, or adsorb to organic or inorganic moieties in the water and then sink, incorporating into the ; sediment. The lighter PAH chemicals are quickly volatilized and oxidized. Scientific observations of creosote behavior in meso-scale tests verify that the concentrations ; of PAH from marine piles in the water column are negligible after the first few weeks. The fate of PAH in the sediment depends on the oxygen status of the upper ; sediment layers. If the sediment is not anoxic, the PAH will be oxidized. With sufficient oxygen in the upper layers of sediment, the PAH concentration will initially rise, ; then decline. With timber treated according to best management practices, if the sediments are not anoxic and the surrounding waters are not stagnant, and the area is not ; already contaminated, creosote marine timbers are unlikely to have a significant long-term effect on the environment. Further, meso-scale testing indicated that effects ; were confined to a region close to the structures themselves.
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  T2-07-11
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/25361/dot_25361_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 473.03 KB]
• Collection(s):
  University Transportation Centers ; US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:639f0e1de5b540efb26cc18ee609817a4cb34675f772284296d44d5567d0580b6d24f7af680c1e95e4ede0693f91e4aac2d1c459ae837a97195b568321b59002