• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.3-9
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• 1988

Infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques for the analysis of wood samples and the absorbance spectra of solid woods were presented. KBr pellets were prepared by throughly mixing approximately 300 mg of dried KBr and 1 mg of finely milled wood powder extracted with ethanol-cyclohexane previously. This mixture was made into a transparent disc by means of a pellet-making die (10 ton/$cm^2$ for 10 min). This IR techniques were applied for the analysis of archaeological wood samples. The most notable difference in the IR spectra between the recent and the archaeological waterlogged woods is that the absorption band centered at $1,730cm^{-1}$ was significantly diminished in the waterlogged ones. Total loss of absorption in $1,730cm^{-1}$ might be mainly due to the result of hemicellulose degradation. Another feature indicated by IR spectral comparision are that the degraded waterlogged wood samples showed 1) the increased intensity of the 1,600, 1,500 and $1,270cm^{-1}$ due to the residual lignin and the increased intensity at 1,470 and $1,425cm^{-1}$ due to the degradation of hemicellulose and 2) to the emergence of single band around $1,050cm^{-1}$ instead of three bands at 1,110, 1,060 and $1,040cm^{-1}$ in recent wood due to the degradation of cellulose crystalline. It was revealed from the IR examinations that the first change of wood in the waterlogged situation was the lysis of hemicellulose and the second the lysis of cellulose. It was also suggested that IR spectroscopy could serve a fast method for the investigation on the chemical characteristics of archaeological wood samples.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.40
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• pp.413-430
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• 2007

This study analyzed the foreign substances in waterlogged archaeological woods and compounds in soil where waterlogged archaeological wood was buried, in order to examine the relationship between burial environment and foreign substances in waterlogged archaeological wood. The XRF(X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy) and EDX(Energy Dispersive X-ray) analysis were conducted to examine the effect of iron(Fe) to blacken the waterlogged wood. The XRF results showed that investigated soil contained Si, Al, and Fe. Wood ash contained more sulfur and Fe than any other elements in the EDX analysis. Cellulose and hemicellulose were significantly reduced at the surface of wood, which is the blackened part of waterlogged wood. Foreign substances changed the surface color. These problems could be solved by removal of foreign substances in waterlogged archaeological wood using EDTA(Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic acid). The optimum condition to remove Fe from waterlogged wood by EDTA was investigated. To do this, the concentration of Fe removed was measured with various concentration of EDTA-2Na. The optimum pH of EDTA-2Na was figured to be 4.1 to 4.3. As the concentration of EDTA increased, the extracted concentration of Fe also increased. In the case of 0.4 wt% of EDTA-2Na, about 60ppm of Fe was eliminated and was stabilized after 48 hours. In the case of EDTA-3Na, the optimum pH was 7 to 8, and about 10 ppm of Fe was eliminated at 0.4 wt% of EDTA-3Na. In the case of EDTA-4Na, the optimum pH was 10 to 11, and about 20 ppm of Fe was eliminated at 0.4 wt% of EDTA-4Na. In conclusion, the iron(Fe) in waterlogged archaeological wood was removed by EDTA treatment and it increased the whiteness of the surface.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.3-7
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• 1990

The chemical Composition of Chinese red pine (Pinus massoniana) submerged in the Yellow Sea for more than 700 years has been examined. When compared to the recent wood, the marked chemical changes in the waterlogged wood is the higher amount of lignin with lesser amount of holocellulose and abnormally high ash content. In the heavily degraded samples, the degradation of cellulose is more severe than that of hemicellulose. However, hemicellulose is much more attacked than the cellulose at the initial stage of deterioration in the sea water. Chemical analysis suggests that the cellulolytic marine microorganisms, whether they are fungi or bacteria. can be regarded as the primary agents for the destruction of the archaeological woods submerged in the sea water.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.11
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• pp.87-105
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• 1990

Chemical and micro morphological changes of archaeological waterlogged woods from shipwrecked materials in marine situations were investigated which were submerged in seabed for over 900 years. Tested Wood species were Pinusdensiflora, Zelkova serrata, Quercus acutissima and Camellia japonica. The obtained results were summarized as follows; Chemical analysis showed that lignin content was increased, whereas the amout of holocellulose was heavily decreased in the degraded archaeological lwoods(DAW), when compared to the recent woods. The amount of alkalineextractives in the DAW was extremley high. IR spectra showed that disappearance of absortion band at $1,730㎝^-1$ intensity increase at 1,600, 1,500 and $1,270㎝^-1$ and the emergence of single band around $1,050㎝^-1$.Microscopic investigation showed that cell wall of latewood tracheids and fiber in the DAW were severely degraded while, early wood tracheids less degraded. Degradation in the cell wall was mainley occurred in $S_2$layer, while the middle lamella was the least degraded. The micro morphological characteristics of DAW were separation of secondary wall from middle lamella, cavities aligned with micro fibril angle in $S_2$layer and granular appearance of secondary wall by the bacterial attack.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.243-261
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• 2024

In this study, samples were collected from various ancient wooden shipwrecks, including the Shinan shipwreck and Jindo shipwreck that used iron nails, the Yeongheungdo shipwreck carrying iron artifacts, as well as the Sibidongpado shipwreck and Wando shipwreck where degradation products were not observed, all of which were salvaged by the National Research Institute of Maritime Heritage. The aim was to analyze the characteristics of degradation products generated by iron (Fe) within the salvaged wooden shipwreck materials and establish fundamental data on degradation products in waterlogged archaeological wood. The analysis revealed that sulfur (S) is generally accumulated in wood obtained from marine environments. It was observed that the content of inorganic substances such as iron and sulfur was significantly higher in the Shinan shipwreck, Jindo shipwreck, and Yeongheungdo shipwreck compared to Sibidongpado shipwreck and Wando shipwreck, which used wooden nails. This indicates that the presence of iron affects the accumulation of degradation products and suggests that iron is a factor in the corrosion of wood. Furthermore, crystallin compounds were observed within the cell walls, and higher concentrations of iron and sulfur were found in the resin ducts, rays, and radial tissues. This suggests that during desalination and consolidation treatments, warm water or polyethylene glycol (PEG) may move degradation factors into resincanals, rays, radial tissues, etc.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.670-680
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• 2019

This study attempts to identify whether there were preferred wood species or any required properties depending on the use of wooden objects by comparing wood species analysis results of wooden objects, which are classified specifically by their uses like comb, wooden tablets, containers, etc., excavated from Haman Seongsansansung mountain fortress, which is the archaeological site of the Three Kingdoms era and those excavated from archaeological sites in Gyeongsang province considered to be the similar era of Haman Seongsansansung mountain fortress site. Wooden tablets and combs show the preferred species clearly and containers preferred wood species with the mid-ranged strength and the resistance against moisture migration.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.19
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• pp.19-30
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• 2006

Alteration of physical and chemical characteristics and the effect of removal of mineral substances in waterlogged archaeological woods by different cleaning processes were examined using oak wood(Quercus spp.) that was excavated from wetland near Gwangju, Korea. Cleaning methods employed in the present work were (1) tools, (2) deaeration, (3) EDTA and (4) ultrasonic cleaning, which are being currently applied in the field of preservation treatment. Cleaning process were performed independently or continuously. Composition of mineral substances in the waterlogged archaeological wood was almost same as the that of soil in which waterlogged archaeological woods were buried. In case of independent cleaning, tools cleaning efficiently removed the mineral substances on surface. Surface color become brighter after cleaning with EDTA. In contrast, deaeration and ultrasonic cleaning did not show any significant removal of mineral substances. In continuous cleaning process, tool cleaning as the first step treatment showed the same effect as shown in independent cleaning. Although deaeration as the second step cleaning did not remove the mineral substances, it could be assumed to contribute the infiltration of dimensional agents by homogenization of wood. EDTA treatment (the third step cleaning) removed the iron(Fe) and increased the whiteness of wood color. The ultrasonic treatment (the fourth step cleaning) removed the sodium(Na) remained after EDTA treatment and the fine mineral substances.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.635-641
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• 2014

Archaeological waterlogged woods require a process of dimensional stabilization for their conservation. PEG is the most widely used in the conservation of archaeological waterlogged wood. One of the easiest and commonly used methods is the impregnation of 40% polyethylene glycol followed by vacuum freeze drying. However, the waste fluid produced from the PEG treatment is black in color and has a severe odor due to the organic matter extracted from the wood. Thus It cannot be recycled and it was just thrown out. Color of waste fluid can be decolored with oxidation reaction by hydrogen peroxide. Properties of PEG before and after preservation treatment, and after oxidation with $H_2O_2$ were not changed. Dimensional stability of archaeological waterlogged Salix koreensis Andersson was studied with pure or recycled PEG. The ratio of impregnation solutions were 10:0, 7:3, 5:5, 3:7, 0:10 (pure PEG : recycled PEG). Impregnation process was carried out by putting the wood specimens 10% PEG solution for 5days, 20% for 5 days, 30% for 5 days finally 40% for 5 days. All of the specimens showed the weight change rate of 25%. SEM results provided that the dimensional change of were less than 4% PEG impregnated specimens. Comparing with pure PEG impregnation system, conservation precess mixed PEG also showed no significant changes. Conclusively, the recycled PEG can be used for archeological waterlogged wood conservation precess.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.6 no.2 s.8
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• pp.149-157
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• 1997

Based on results reported in the literature, the conservation of outdoor wood, dry wood, and waterlogged wood which contained archaeological and cultural values were reviewed in a chemical point of view.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 1992

Micromorphological changes in waterlogged archaeological woods excavated from Sweden and Germany were investigated. Especially bacterial attacks on those wood samples under near anaerobic conditions were examined by transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The major feature of micromorphological alterations in those wood samples was the preferential destruction of secondary wood cell wall. In contrast, the middle lamella was not extensively degraded. Three distinct degradation patterns by bacteria were observed : erosion, cavitation and tunnelling bacteria. Erosion and cavitation bacteria attacked primarily $S_2$ layer, whereas tunnelling bacteria made the tunnel-like degradation along the $S_1$ layer. Tunnelling bacteria, in some samples, were able to degrade tunnel in the lignin-rich areas, such as middle lamella, suggesting that these bacteria had the capacity to degrade the lignin. IR spectra indicate that hemicellulose and cellulose in the waterlogged woods were preferentially decomposed. Breakdown of the lignin, on the other hand, was much slower.