Comparative effect of selected anti-mildew agents on bamboo bundles

Nutrient-rich raw bamboo materials can be infected by mildew when exposed to water or high humid environments. This not only affects the appearance of bamboo products, but it also contributes to respiratory diseases. Herein, four anti-mildew agents, i.e., boric acid, copper sulphate, alumina phosphate sol, and alumina silicate sol, were used to evaluate their anti-mildew performances. The results showed that the adequate anti-mold concentrations of boron and copper were 2% and 0.7%, respectively. The optimum mass ratio of aluminum phosphate sol and silicone aluminum sol were 1 to 1 (2% phosphoric acid addition) and 10 to 1 (aluminum salt addition was 1.5%). There were significant differences in the prevention and treatment effects of different mold inhibitors on mold and discoloration bacteria. The efficacies order of the anti-mildew property was as follows: copper sulphate > alumina silicate sol > boric acid > alumina phosphate sol. In addition, the order for stain fungi resistance was: boric acid > alumina phosphate sol > alumina silicate sol > copper sulphate. The selected anti-mildew agents showed promising application requirements as an active ingredient in bamboo preservative systems.