J. Korean Wood Sci. Technol. 2020, 48(5): 641~650 pISSN: 1017-0715 eISSN: 2233-7180 https://doi.org/10.5658/WOOD.2020.48.5.641 Original Article Termiticidal Activity and Chemical Components of Bamboo Vinegar against Subterranean Termites under Different Pyrolysis Temperatures1 Wa Ode Muliastuty ARSYAD 2,†⋅Lisna EFIYANTI2⋅Deazy Rachmi TRISATYA2 ABSTRACT1) In this study, the chemical components and termiticidal activities of bamboo vinegar against subterranean termite were evaluated. Bamboo vinegar used in this study were produced from Mayan (Gigantochloa robusta Kurz.), Balcoa (Bambusa balcooa Roxb.), and Taiwan (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro). It was analyzed by gravimetric methods. Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) was soaked for 24 h and tested against Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren according to the Indonesian National Standard (SNI 7207-2014). The bamboo vinegar demonstrated antitermite activities against subterranean termite. Vinegar of 400℃ recorded higher total phenol and acid than that of 300℃. Results from this study suggest that the phenolic and acidic component of the bamboo vinegar contributed to 100% mortality rate of the termite, some wood weight loss, and a decrease in the termite feeding rate. These results strongly recommend that bamboo vinegar from D. latiflorus Munro is a potential environmentally friendly preservative. Keywords: anti-termite, bamboo vinegar, chemical components, Coptotermes curvignathus, mortality 1. INTRODUCTION Bedmutha et al., 2011) and repellent (Kiarie-Makara et al., 2010). Wood vinegar consists of polycyclic ar- Wood vinegar or pyro-ligneous acid is an aqueous omatic hydrocarbon compounds from the pyrolysis of liquid obtained by wood distillation under anaerobic the cellulose. They comprise phenol, formaldehyde, condition (Yang et al., 2016). Wood vinegar can be organic acid, ketones, hydrocarbon, ester, alcohols and produced from a wide range of lignocellulose materi- some heterocyclic materials (Kim et al., 2008; Tascioglu als, including bamboo (Mu et al., 2004). Wood vine- et al., 2012; Haji, 2013). gar is a natural inhibitor which contains numerous As a natural product, great efforts have been taken bioactivities. Thus, it is safe and applicable for termiti- to improve the use of wood vinegar, such as its effi- cidal (Hadi et al., 2010; Oramahi and Yoshimura, cacy as an anti-termite. It was found that wood vinegar 2013), antifungal (Islam et al., 2009; Okutucu et al., from Albizia chinensis, Toona sinensis sawdust and 2011), antimicrobial, antibacterial, (Lee, et al., 2010; Vitex pubescens was effectively killed Coptotermes 1 Date Received June 22, 2020, Date Accepted August 6, 2020 2 Forest Products Research and Development Center, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia † Corresponding author: Wa Ode Muliastuty ARSYAD (email: [email protected], ORCID: 0000-0002-8135-7620) - 641 - Wa Ode Muliastuty ARSYAD⋅Lisna EFIYANTI⋅Deazy Rachmi TRISATYA curvignathus and Cryptotermes cynocephalus, and had and collected. The acidity, specific gravity, and the a mode of action as an antifeedant to Reticulitermes content of acetic acid and phenol of bamboo vinegar speratus and Coptotermes formosanus (Oramahi and were then measured (Wibowo, 2012). Yoshimura, 2013; Adfa et al., 2017; Arsyad et al., 2019). Rubber wood samples were cut to size of 5 cm x The composition and application characters of wood 5 cm × 2.5 cm in accordance to the Indonesian vinegar have been reported in previous studies. In ad- Standard of SNI 7207-2014. Wood specimens were dition, Mu et al. (2004) have shown the effectiveness then oven-dried for 24 hours in 105℃ to a constant of bamboo vinegar on the germination and radicle weight and reach 45% of moisture content. Afterwards, growth of seed plants. Although bamboo vinegar has the samples were weighed (W1), measured (V1) and great potential for anti-termite, the chemical composi- completely immersed in a cylindrical glass of bamboo tion at different pyrolysis temperature has not yet been vinegar for 24 hours. The samples were cleaned up, studied. weighed (W2) and measured (V2) after the preserva- In this study, the termiticidal activity of bamboo tion treatment. All samples were conditioned for two vinegar against subterranean termite was evaluated. weeks to a constant weight and assuring the fixation Further, the chemical components of bamboo vinegar process of bamboo vinegar and wood samples. were examined. Subsequently, the specimens were weighed to obtain the oven dried weight after preservation treatment. 2. MATERIALS and METHODS Untreated wood was used as the control. Five repli- cations were made for each treatment. 2.1. Materials 2.3. Characteristic analysis of bamboo Mayan (Gigantochloa robusta Kurz.), balcoa (Bambusa vinegar balcooa Roxb.), and taiwan (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) bamboo were carbonized with a laboratory- pH of bamboo vinegar scale furnace. Rubber wood (Hevea brasiliensis) was The pH value of bamboo vinegar was measured by subjected to subterranean (Coptotermes curvignathus a calibrated pH meter. Holmgren). The material was collected from Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Total acid All chemicals used in this study were analytical The content of acetic acid in bamboo vinegar was grade HCl (Merck), KI (Merck), Na2S2O3 (Merck), analyzed using the AOAC method. About 10 gram of bromide chromate and phenoptalein. Glass equipment bamboo vinegar was dissolved in 100 ml distilled (pyrex), pyrolysis reactor with condensation equip- water. Then, phenopthalein indicator was added into ment, oven, analytical scale, pH meter digital and bur- 10 ml of each solution. It was titrated with 0.1 N rete were used in this study. NaOH solution. The acetic acid content was calculated using the following equation. 2.2. Preparation of sample test Acetic acid content (%) = Bamboo culms were cut to size of 5 × 5 cm and × × × (1) pyrolized for 4 hours. The reactor temperature was set at 300℃ and 400℃. Bamboo vinegars were condensed - 642 - Termiticidal Activity and Chemical Components of Bamboo Vinegar against Subterranean Termites under Different Pyrolysis Temperatures Remarks: V NaOH = volume of NaOH; N NaOH = glass jars then were kept in 25℃ to 30℃ dark room normality of NaOH; and BM = molecule weight of with relative humidity of 80% to 90% for four weeks. acetic acid The jars were weighed every week. After four weeks, the specimens were cleaned up Total phenol and put in the oven at 60℃. Termite mortality and The phenolic content in the bamboo vinegar was weight loss of wood specimens were determined using evaluated using titration with 2N NaOH used the same the following equation. method as AOAC (AOAC, 1990). The phenolic con- tent was calculated using the following equation. Termite mortality = (T1 − T2)/T1 × 100% (4) Phenolic content (%) = Remarks: T1= the number of live termites prior to the × × × × test; T2= the number of live termites after the test. × (2) Wood weight percent loss (WL) = Remarks: a = mL Na2S2O3 in sample solution; b = mL (W1 − W2)/W1 × 100% (5) Na2S2O3 in a blank solution; BM = molecular weight of phenol; N = Normality of Na2S2O3; fp = dilution Remarks: W1= the weight (g) of oven-dried samples factor; and S = sample weight prior to the test; W2 = the weight (g) of oven-dried samples after the test. Specific gravity of bamboo vinegar It was assumed that termite mortality was linear to The specific gravity of bamboo vinegar was meas- time. The feeding rate was calculated using the follow- ured with a pycnometer and calculated using the ing equation. following equation. Feeding rate (FR) (mg/termite/day)= Specific gravity = (3) (weight of wood eaten; mg)/ (average number of living termites)/ (number of days in the test period) (6) Remarks : Bc = pycnometer weight + sample; Bp = empty weight of pycnometer; and Ba = pycnometer Based on the wood weight loss percentage, wood weight + water specimens were categorised for its resistance using 2.4. Subterranean termites attack test SNI 7207-2014. The termiticidal activities against Coptotermes 2.5. Data analysis curvignathus Holmgren were examined using the Indonesian Standard of SNI 7207-2014. The wood Data analysis was performed using a 3 × 2 factorial specimen was placed in a glass jar. About 200 g of in a completely randomized design. Bamboo vinegar moist sand (7% moisture content) and 200 healthy and and pyrolysis temperature (300℃ and 400℃) were the active workers of Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren first and second factor, respectively. Duncan’s multi- subterranean termites were added in to the jar. The ple range tests were used since at p<0.05 the factor - 643 - Wa Ode Muliastuty ARSYAD⋅Lisna EFIYANTI⋅Deazy Rachmi TRISATYA was significantly different. Microsoft Excel and Statis- 12.37%. It can be seen in Table 1 that total phenol tical Product and Service Solution version 22 were op- and acids in bamboo vinegar pyrolyzed at 400℃ were erated to analyze the data. significantly greater than bamboo vinegar pyrolyzed at 300℃, with the exclusion of total acid in D. lati- 3. RESULTS and DISCUSSION florus Munro bamboo vinegar. In agreement to this, 3.1. Bamboo vinegar properties previous studies reported that total phenol was the largest component in wood vinegar from Quercus ser- The properties of bamboo vinegars are shown in rata, Pinus densiflora, walnut shell and pineapple Table 1. The pH scale of bamboo vinegars ranged plant waste biomass (Mun and Ku, 2002; Ma, et al., from 2.88 to 3.17. This value was used to distinguish 2011; Mathew et al., 2015). Phenol and acids in