Chemical Structure of Arsenic and Chromium in

In recent years, regulatory and public attention has become focused on the potential risks associated with exposure to chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood – the most widely used wood treatment product in the United States. CCA has been used to treat lumber for over 60 years (1), mainly because of the extended lifetime of CCA-treated wood as compared to untreated wood (2-5) and the higher costs of non-wood alternatives. Since the late 1980s, U.S. production of CCA-treated wood has averaged approximately 5 x 108 ft3/y (6) and by 1996, sales of treated woo