Environmental and Health Hazards of Chromated Copper Arsenate-Treated Wood: A Review

Simone Morais, Henrique M. A. C. Fonseca, Sónia M. R. Oliveira, Helena Oliveira, Vivek Kumar Gupta, Bechan Sharma and Maria de Lourdes Pereira
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Simone Morais: REQUIMTE–LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, Instituto Politécnico do Porto, R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida 431, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Henrique M. A. C. Fonseca: GeoBioTec & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Sónia M. R. Oliveira: CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Helena Oliveira: CESAM & Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Vivek Kumar Gupta: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India
Bechan Sharma: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, India
Maria de Lourdes Pereira: CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Copper chrome arsenate (CCA) water-borne solution used to be widely used to make timber highly resistant to pests and fungi, in particular, wood products designed for outdoor use. Nowadays, CCA is a restricted chemical product in most countries, since potential environmental and health risks were reported due to dermal contact with CCA residues from treated structures and the surrounding soil, as well as the contamination of soils. However, large quantities of CCA-treated timber are still in use in framings, outdoor playground equipment, landscaping, building poles, jetty piles, and fencing structures around the world, thus CCA remains a source of pollutants to the environment and of increasing toxic metal/metalloid exposure (mainly in children). International efforts have been dedicated to the treatment of materials impregnated with CCA, however not only does some reuse of CCA-treated timber still occur, but also existing structures are leaking the toxic compounds into the environment, with impacts on the environment and animal and human health. This study highlights CCA mechanisms and the documented consequences in vivo of its exposure, as well as the adverse environmental and health impacts.

Keywords: chromated copper arsenate; CCA-treated wood; arsenic; chromium; copper (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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