IS 4873 (Part 2) : 2000Methods of laboratory testing of wood preservatives against fungi and borers (powder post beetles) : Part 2 Determination of threshold values of wood preservatives against borers (powder post beetles)
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IS 4873:2000 (Part 2) is the Indian Standard (BIS) for methods of laboratory testing of wood preservatives against fungi and borers (powder post beetles) : part 2 determination of threshold values of wood preservatives against borers (powder post beetles). This standard outlines the laboratory testing methods for determining the threshold values of wood preservatives against wood-destroying fungi. It establishes the minimum preservative retention required to effectively prevent fungal decay by measuring the weight loss of treated timber blocks after controlled incubation.
Methods of laboratory testing of wood preservatives against fungi and borers (powder post beetles) : Part 2 Determination of threshold values of wood preservatives against borers (powder post beetles)
EN 113-1:2020CEN (European Committee for Standardization), Europe
HighCurrent
Wood preservatives - Test method for determining the protective effectiveness against wood destroying basidiomycetes - Part 1: Determination of the toxic values
Specifies a laboratory agar-block method for determining the toxic values of a wood preservative against basidiomycete fungi.
AWPA E10-21AWPA (American Wood Protection Association), USA
HighCurrent
Standard Method of Testing Wood Preservatives by Laboratory Soil-Block Cultures
Specifies a laboratory soil-block method for determining the fungal decay thresholds of wood preservatives.
JIS K 1571:2010JISC (Japanese Industrial Standards Committee), Japan
MediumCurrent
Test methods for performance of wood preservatives
Specifies multiple performance tests for wood preservatives, including a fungal efficacy test using an agar-block method.
ASTM D1413-07ASTM International, USA
HighWithdrawn
Standard Test Method for Wood Preservatives by Laboratory Soil-Block Cultures
Specified a laboratory soil-block culture method, now withdrawn and directing users to the similar AWPA E10 standard.
Key Differences
≠IS 4873 specifies an agar-block culture method, similar to EN 113. In contrast, the primary North American standard (AWPA E10) uses a soil-block culture method, where the wood block is placed on a feeder strip over sterilized soil.
≠The specified wood species for testing are region-specific. IS 4873 uses Chir pine (*Pinus roxburghii*) and Mango (*Mangifera indica*), whereas EN 113 uses Scots pine (*Pinus sylvestris*) and Beech (*Fagus sylvatica*), and AWPA E10 uses Southern yellow pine (*Pinus spp.*).
≠The dimensions of the test blocks differ significantly. IS 4873 uses 20 x 20 x 10 mm blocks, while EN 113 uses larger 50 x 25 x 15 mm blocks, and AWPA E10 uses 19 mm (3/4 inch) cubes.
≠The mandatory test fungi vary. IS 4873 lists Indian-relevant fungi like *Polyporus meliae*, while EN and AWPA standards mandate other species like *Coniophora puteana*, *Gloeophyllum trabeum*, and *Postia placenta*.
Key Similarities
≈All standards aim to determine the 'threshold value' or 'toxic value' of a preservative, defined as the minimum concentration that effectively prevents significant decay by a specific fungus under laboratory conditions.
≈The primary criterion for evaluating preservative effectiveness is the percentage of mass loss of the treated wood blocks after a specified incubation period with the test fungus.
≈All standards require the use of pure, virulent cultures of wood-destroying basidiomycete fungi (both brown rot and white rot types) to challenge the treated wood.
≈The procedures include testing a series of preservative concentrations (retentions) to establish the interval where fungal attack is inhibited, and all use untreated control blocks to validate the virulence of the test fungus.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Culture Method
Agar-block
Soil-block
AWPA E10-21
Culture Method (European)
Agar-block
Agar-block
EN 113-1:2020
Test Block Size
20 x 20 x 10 mm
50 x 25 x 15 mm
EN 113-1:2020
Test Block Size (US)
20 x 20 x 10 mm
19 x 19 x 19 mm
AWPA E10-21
Primary Softwood Species
Chir Pine (*Pinus roxburghii*)
Scots Pine (*Pinus sylvestris*)
EN 113-1:2020
Primary Softwood Species (US)
Chir Pine (*Pinus roxburghii*)
Southern Yellow Pine (*Pinus spp.*)
AWPA E10-21
Mass Loss Threshold for Efficacy
≤ 3.0%
≤ 3.0%
EN 113-1:2020
Incubation Temperature
27 ± 1 °C
22 ± 1 °C
EN 113-1:2020
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Standard test block dimensions19 x 19 x 19 mm
Incubation temperature25 ± 1°C
Incubation relative humidity70 ± 5%
Typical incubation duration12 to 16 weeks
Drying oven temperature for block weight103 ± 2°C
Key Formulas
Weight loss (%) = [(W1 - W2) / W1] x 100 — where W1 is initial oven-dry weight and W2 is final oven-dry weight after incubation
Tables & Referenced Sections
Key Tables
No tables data
Key Clauses
Clause 4 - Test Fungi
Clause 5 - Preparation of Culture Medium
Clause 6 - Preparation and Treatment of Test Blocks