Variation in the composition of wood extractives from Eucalyptus globulus during seasoning

The variation in the content of extractives from Eucalyptus globulus wood has been studied during a three-month seasoning experiment. The decrease in the total acetone extract (by over 56%) after seasoning is well correlated to a parallel reduction on the colloidal pitch measured in black liquors. The composition of lipophilic extractives during the seasoning period has been studied by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Sterols, sterol esters, triglycerides, fatty acids and steroid ketones were the main lipophilic compounds among E. globulus wood extractives. Significative variations in the content of these compounds were observed during seasoning