A comprehensive review on azoles based organic wood preservatives and their future prospects

Wood is an organic material hence it is susceptible to degradation, and to increase the service life of wood and its products, preservative treatments become necessary. Many countries restrict the use of conventional wood preservatives due to their non-eco-friendly nature. Therefore, the need arises to look for alternative but effective wood preservative formulations against a wide range of wood degrading agents with less environmental toxicity. Azole-based organic biocides for wood preservation are quite effective against many bio-deteriorating organisms, and their amalgamation with two or more organic biocides is highly effective. The organic biocides can be combined with metal complexing compounds to bind the metals and free-radical scavengers, thereby preventing the degradation of wood. Major organic biocides belong to the family of triazoles, including tebuconazole and propiconazole, which are quite effective against a broad range of wood-degrading organisms, exhibit good stability, and resist leaching in wood. This review describes the present trends and future prospects of azole-based wood preservatives.