Spectral and chemical analyses of mould development on Scots pine heartwood

Scots pine heartwood specimens were exposed to mould in controlled humid atmosphere (RH 95%, T?=20 °C) and the responses of electrical impedance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (EIS and FTIR) methods were studied. The concentration of methanol soluble heartwood extractives and the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) were determined from the parallel samples. Results show that the spectral responses and VOC emissions were related to the mould development. According to this study, VOC emissions might be used for discriminating mould susceptible and resistant samples. FTIR spectra showed that the relation of amide (1655 cm^-1) and carbonyl peaks (1736 cm^-1) was significantly affected by mould. In the EIS analyses, there also were electrical parameters, which were significantly affected by mould. In conclusion, both spectral methods hold potential for non-destructive mould detection and monitoring of mould development.