The Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Seminar Series continues with Dr. Beatriz Vega, Research Fellow in the Auburn University Forest Products Development Center. Dr. Vega will present a talk titled, “Formaldehyde paper-based device (PAD) for a cost-efficient detection of formaldehyde emissions from wood panels,” on Tuesday, April 6, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Join the seminar via Zoom at https://auburn.zoom.us/j/9398596544.

Short Bio of Beatriz Vega

Beatriz Vega is a Research Fellow in the Forest Products Development Center in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University. She has earned her Ph.D. degree from the Chemical Engineering Department in Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland, and her Master’s Degree from the Organic Chemistry Department in the Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad de la República (UdelaR) in Montevideo, Uruguay. The research work during her doctoral studies was mainly focused on fiber engineering using polysaccharide derivatives, biomass fractionation, and material characterization using traditional and advanced techniques. The research carried out for her degree from the Organic Chemistry Department in Uruguay focused on biotransformation of the main component in eucalyptus oil using fungi cells under resting cell conditions. As a Research Fellow, Beatriz Vega is trying to contribute to Dr. Via’s group in SFWS with her biomass conversion, biomass characterization, and chemistry background.

 Abstract

Formaldehyde paper-based device (PAD) for a cost-efficient detection of formaldehyde emissions from wood panels Alfredo García, Lorena Portilla, Beatriz Vega*, and Brian Via. Forest Products Development Center, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849. The rapid advances in technology and the emerging analytical tools are providing new opportunities for the valorisation of under-utilized biomass and creating the best scenario for the development of innovative solutions. At the same time, these momentous changes are shaping the nature of jobs available, setting unprecedented challenges for the traditional production sectors. The forest products sector is not an exception and is trying to update their production patterns rapidly and address the changes. It is foreseen that the most important changes in the forest processing sector will occur in the construction sector and that the demand for engineering wood products such as pre-cut lumber, and wood panels construction. Just in 2017, the structural panel consumption and housing starts in the US were 20 million m3 and 1.6 million m3 , respectively, and have increased over the past years, with average industry growth of 4.3% in the period 2014-2019, a market size of $28 billion and industry employment of over 86000, according to IBIS World industry research report. The engineered wood manufacturers follow strict protocols and regulations to ensure the optimum performance and certify the safety of their products, either during fabrication or during the long service life of their products, the manufacturers. In particular, low formaldehyde emissions are recommended by different agencies such as the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), California Air Resources Board (CARB), the European Union, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), ASTM D6007-14 and ASTM E1333-14. During this presentation, our research related to a Formaldehyde paper-based device (PAD) for a costefficient detection of formaldehyde emissions from wood panels will be presented. Keywords: forest products, engineered wood, paper-based devices (PAD), formaldehyde emissions, formaldehyde detection *ibv0002@auburn.edu