Study of natural degradation effect on lignocellulose fibers of archaeological cedar wood: monitoring by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy

Abstract

The present work aims at elucidating the changes in the chemical composition of Moroccan cedar wood during exposure time to the natural degradation process. Correlation of these changes with certain physical properties and performance of this polymeric material were proposed. Four archaeological Cedrus atlantica wood samples dating from the 16th, 17th, 19th and 21st centuries were analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectroscopic analyses demonstrated in detail the significant changes that occurred in different molecular groups of lignocelluloses fibers, as evidenced by the decrease of band intensities related to the carbohydrates and lignin. The influence of the natural degradation process on these fibers was enhanced by the gradual decline in fingerprint (1800-800cm-1) related to the cellulose amount accompanied by the detection of new carbonyl band at 1650cm-1 attributed to the C=O quinone suggesting the lignin’s oxidation.