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Chemistry and toxicology of building timbers pressure‐treated with chromated copper arsenate: a review
Author(s) -
Katz Sidney A.,
Salem Harry
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.1005
Subject(s) - chromated copper arsenate , arsenic , environmental science , waste management , environmental chemistry , chemistry , engineering , metallurgy , materials science
A recent agreement between the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the wood‐treating industry will result in a phase‐out of building timbers preserved with chromated copper arsenate (CCA). This agreement was motivated by a desire to reduce exposure to arsenic in the production, utilization and disposal of such material. The leaching of chromium, copper and arsenic from CCA‐treated building timbers into water and soil and the subsequent environmental effects have been reviewed, as have the laboratory and epidemiological studies on the toxicology of CCA‐treated building timbers. The benets of the phase‐out agreement are questionable because much arsenic will remain in the environment, and the alternatives to wood preservation with CCA are not without environmental consequences. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.