Abstract

Biopreservative waterborne paint was developed for protection of rubberwood by incorporating the paint with 50-500 μg mL^-1 of essential oil (cinnamon oil, clove oil, anise oil, citronella oil, orange oil and nutmeg oil) and 0.1% surfactant. Antifungal activities of the paint against moulds (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium sp.) and a decay fungus (Trametes versicolor) and anti-termite capability of the paint were investigated. Within the concentration range studied, only cinnamon oil and clove oil at minimum concentrations of 350 and 450 μg mL^-1 respectively were capable of providing complete protection against mould growth on rubberwood for up to 12 weeks during storage at 25 °C and 100% relative humidity. In addition, the paints incorporated with 450 μg mL^-1 of both oils also showed high resistance to fungal decay and termite attack. Sensory evaluation test revealed that the paint incorporated with clove oil was better in odour and overall liking characteristics than the paint incorporated with cinnamon oil. © Forest Research Institute Malaysia.