Wood Extracts and By-Products: Formation, Significance, and Technological and Biological Applications

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2022) | Viewed by 7899

Special Issue Editors

1. Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 20018 San Sebastian, Spain
2. InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
Interests: wood and lignocellulosic materials; analytic techniques; biorefinery and applications; surface treatments; exploration of phenolic compounds; antioxidant capacity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Science, University of Basilicata, V.le Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: oxidative stress; nutraceuticals; secondary metabolite isolation; structural determination; biological activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Science (SAFE), University of Basilicata, V.le Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
Interests: wood characterization; extractives; natural resource management; wood modification
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, wood and by-products valorization practices have gained increasing importance. It is known that the recovery of natural chemical compounds derived from wood waste plays an important role in the bioeconomy and circular economy and produces increasing profit for local and international economies.

Indeed, the woody biomass represents a new source of green chemistry generating renewable and innovative products using bioresources such as tree residues, and biomass of wood is still under-investigated.

Many phytochemicals like glycosides, tannins, saponins, phytosterols, resins, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, diterpenes, triterpenes, carotenoids, carbohydrates, amino acids, and proteins can be obtained through plant by-products coming from forests.

The several chemical and physical characteristics of phytochemicals require different novel extraction methods and post extraction processing that affect its consequent application in industrial fields, and their potential technological and biological applications.

Effectively, wood extracts and pure compounds obtained in this way, or suitably modified by technological transformations (liposomes, nanoformulations, semisinthesys etc.), can be used in wood industry, agrifood industries, and pharmaceutical or cosmeceutical fields. Moreover, extractives are recognized to affect the odor; color; wettability; natural durability; and physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of wood. They are also considered responsible for many deleterious aspects regarding the processing and utilization of wood as a material.

This Special Issue has been created to bring together original scientific research or review manuscripts focusing on wood-derived products and their application.

Main topics:

1) Quali-quantitative characteristics of organic metabolites extracted from wood;

2) Biological and technological application;

3) New formulation extraction processes;

4) Contribution of extractives to wood characteristics (durability, colour, odour, wettability, etc.);

5) Relationship between extractives and wood modification;

6) Significance of wood extractives for the wood industry (drying, bonding, painting, pulp and paper, etc.);

7) Wood extractives as a sustainable method for preservation;

8) Forest management practices as a tool to prevent the extractives formation.

Dr. Rene Herrera Diaz
Dr. Immacolata Faraone
Dr. Luigi Todaro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wood and lignocellulosic materials
  • biorefinery and applications
  • secondary metabolite isolation
  • analytic techniques
  • antioxidant capacity
  • biological activity
  • wood modification
  • extractives and wood industry
  • sustainable products

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 2308 KiB  
Article
Extractives of Tree Biomass of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) for Biorefining in Four Climatic Regions in Finland—Lipophilic Compounds, Stilbenes, and Lignans
by Erkki Verkasalo, Marja Roitto, Veikko Möttönen, Johanna Tanner, Anuj Kumar, Petri Kilpeläinen, Lauri Sikanen and Hannu Ilvesniemi
Forests 2022, 13(5), 779; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13050779 - 18 May 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2340
Abstract
The aim of the study was to quantify total extractive contents and lipophilic compounds, stilbenes, and lignans in Scots pine stem wood, stem bark, branch biomass, and sawmill residues in four climatic regions of Finland to evaluate the most optimal sources of extractives [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to quantify total extractive contents and lipophilic compounds, stilbenes, and lignans in Scots pine stem wood, stem bark, branch biomass, and sawmill residues in four climatic regions of Finland to evaluate the most optimal sources of extractives for bio-based chemical biorefining and bioenergy products. Data were derived from 78 chip samples from the before-mentioned raw materials, the samples being pooled by tree height position from the sample trees of 42 experimental forest stands, and sawdust lots from 10 log stands. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was employed to determine total extractive contents, followed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID) to quantify extractive groups and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to analyse individual extractive compounds. Resin acids and triglycerides followed by fatty acids were the dominant extractive groups. Resin acids were most abundant in stem wood from final fellings and in sawdust, fatty acids in bark and branch biomass, and triglycerides also in stem wood from thinnings and the top parts of trees. Of the minor extractive groups, stilbenes were the most abundant in stem wood from final fellings and in sawdust, and steryl esters, sterols, and lignans in bark and branch biomass, the two last groups almost missing from other biomass components. Regional differences in the contents of extractive groups were generally small, 1.0−1.5 percentage points at the maximum, but factor analysis distinguished northern and southern regions into their own groups. Bark was the most potential source of fatty acids and sterols in southern Finland, and triglycerides and steryl esters in northern Finland. In stem wood, steryl esters, triglycerides, and lignans decreased and stilbenes increased from north to south. Certain fatty acids and resin acids were more frequent in the north. The results highlighted the importance of focused procurement and efficient sorting of raw materials, purity, unique properties, and feasible isolation techniques for competitive ability as well as large raw material volumes or well-defined value-added products. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 4078 KiB  
Article
Investigating Antimicrobial Characteristics/Advantages of Australian Wood Species for Use in Food Packaging—A Feasibility Study
by Maryam Shirmohammadi
Forests 2022, 13(2), 334; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f13020334 - 18 Feb 2022
Viewed by 1829
Abstract
The antimicrobial characteristics of Australian commercial timber species were studied using a direct screening method and two different microorganisms. The effectiveness of timber samples was compared with plastic and paper samples during an incubation period of 24 h at 37 °C. The initial [...] Read more.
The antimicrobial characteristics of Australian commercial timber species were studied using a direct screening method and two different microorganisms. The effectiveness of timber samples was compared with plastic and paper samples during an incubation period of 24 h at 37 °C. The initial data with E. coli and S. aureus showed no difference in performance between the plastic and paper samples and the softwood samples tested. Hardwood samples, however, showed an inhibition zone when tested with S. Aureus. The data showed similar trends of inhibition zones developed for sterilised and non-sterilised samples of spotted gum and shining gum species. The observed data showed promising antimicrobial characteristics for both veneer and solid samples of hardwood species. Further studies investigating the type of extractives, their role in antimicrobial characteristics and differences in the type of surface exposed to the microbial contamination from the point of view of timber’s anatomical properties are proposed. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1899 KiB  
Article
Intsia bijuga Heartwood Extract and Its Phytosome as Tyrosinase Inhibitor, Antioxidant, and Sun Protector
by Rita Kartika Sari, Yanico Hadi Prayogo, Ratih Afrida Lismana Sari, Nur Asidah, Mohamad Rafi, Ietje Wientarsih and Wayan Darmawan
Forests 2021, 12(12), 1792; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/f12121792 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2452
Abstract
Intsia bijuga (Colebr.) wood (Indonesian: Merbau) is commercial wood with high economic value and is most commonly found in Indonesia. Intsia wood extractives have biological activities related to their potential as natural active ingredients for antiaging cosmetics This study aimed to select the [...] Read more.
Intsia bijuga (Colebr.) wood (Indonesian: Merbau) is commercial wood with high economic value and is most commonly found in Indonesia. Intsia wood extractives have biological activities related to their potential as natural active ingredients for antiaging cosmetics This study aimed to select the best extraction solvent and phytosome formulation of I. bijuga heartwood extract as an active ingredient for topical antiaging cosmetics. There were five and three variations on extraction solvent and phytosome formulation, respectively. Three main antiaging activity parameters, namely antioxidant, antityrosinase, and sun protection factor (SPF) values, were considered in selecting the best extract and phytosome formula. The results showed that 50% ethanol possessed good antioxidant and antityrosinase activity, but was lower in SPF value, which was significantly different than in other extracts. The phytochemical profile revealed robidanol and robinetin as the main constituent in five I. bijuga extracts. Phytosome F3 possessed high antioxidant, antityrosinase, and SPF values compared to other 50% ethanol phytosome extracts. It could be concluded that I. bijuga ethanol extracts and its phytosome are potent enough to be developed as an antiaging active ingredient in topical use cosmetics. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop