Monitoring losses of copper based wood preservatives in the Thames estuary

Field trials were conducted at two sites in the Thames estuary to monitor losses of copper, chromium and arsenic from wood preservative treated timbers of varying sizes and treatment regimes. Results indicated that leaching tests conducted under standard laboratory conditions might overestimate losses compared to losses resulting from real environmental exposures. Amine copper treated wood was noted to leach higher levels of copper compared to chromated copper arsenate treated wood, and was therefore considered an inappropriate replacement biocide for fresh and marine construction purposes on this basis. Increases in copper concentrations in the outer sections of amine copper treated posts may have represented re-distribution of this component in this timber. No accumulation of metals was found in sediments surrounding field trial posts.