PH VALUE, BUFFER CAPACITY AND CONCENTRATI ONS OF VOLATILE ACIDS IN EXTRACTS OF LARCH CHIPS DERIVED FROM HEARTWOOD AND SAPWOOD

Subject Investigations carried out on the pH-value and buffering capac ity of extractives from heart- and sapwood of larch led to the followi ng results: Heartwood extractives show a lower pH-value and higher buf fering capacity compared to sapwood extractives. Heartwood of the 102- year old trees show the lowest pH-value and the highest buffering capa city. The ions of acetic and formic acid, as determined in the extract ives by ionic chromatography, show that heartwood extractives contain more acetate ions than sapwood extractives. Moreover, the amount of ac etate ions in heartwood extractives increases with the age of the tree .