Seasonal variation of southern pine terpenes

Monoterpene and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations measured at some mills have large swings of a seemingly seasonal nature and a great amount of variability is evident. The question to be resolved is whether these differences are attributable to wood handling and mill operations or to biological factors associated with tree growth. Information in the available literature primarily describes monoterpene production and release associated with foliage, not wood. This paper describes the results of a study comparing the amounts of VOCs released from drying southern pine wood to the amount of monoterpenes collected form loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) increment cores. Handling and storage have been shown to potentially affect quantitative results. But it appears that more monoterpenes are produced in trees in response to higher temperatures and increased precipitation. At least for reasonable fresh material, measurements of monoterpenes and VOC concentrations at mills probably reflect climatically affected patterns of tree development.

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