CHEMICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WOOD EXTRACTS OF JACK PINE (PINUS-BANKSIANA), BLACK SPRUCE (PICEA-MARIANA) AND BALSAM FIR (ABIES-BALSAMEA)FROM EASTERN CANADA

Differences in the chemical composition of the wood of balsam fir (Abi es balsamea (L.)), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.)) were determined by GC analysis of their hexane extracts. Certain constituents such as juvabione, (E)-alpha-atlantone and delta-cadinene were shown to be present only in the heartwood of balsam fir. Analysis of the sapwood of the three species also revealed the presence of certain constituents such as juvabione, dehydrojuvabi one and (E)-alpha-atlantone, all found only in balsam fir and an unide ntified compound found only in jack pine. The chromatograms of the hex ane extracts of both sapwood and heartwood showed characteristic patte rns for each of the three species of conifers.