Caracterización física y química de la madera de Aspidosperma sp. (Hachacaspi) en el cantón Archidona, provincia de Napo

Abstract

Studying forest species' anatomical characteristics (macro and microscopic) is vital because they help explain specific physical properties and their behavior in response to chemical substances used in specific industrial processes. Anatomical and dendrological studies are essential, and they complement each other. The dendrological identification of the species was carried out from botanical samples collected in the field of study located in Archidona town, Chimborazo province, and later analyzed in the institution's herbarium (CHEP). The research described the physical and chemical properties of the wood of Aspidosperma rigidum Rusby in the Wood Workability Laboratory of the Faculty of Natural Resources of the Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo (ESPOCH). The COPANT standards (1972) were used to obtain samples of the upper and lower sections of the trunk of Aspidosperma rigidum Rusby trees. The process begins with softening the wood samples at constant pressure and temperature through an autoclave. Subsequently, histological sections of the samples were made in three planes: transversal, tangential, and radial; at a thickness of 0.3 microns, and then they were immersed in the dyes: Astrablue, Safranin, and a combination of both in a 1:1 ratio, at 10, 20 and 30 seconds. The samples were placed on plates correctly labeled according to the section of the tree (high and low), type of dye (Safranin, Astrablue, and Astrablue/Safranin mixture), and immersion time (10, 20, and 30 seconds) for observation under the microscope. A complete randomized three-factor statistical analysis was also applied, where three analysis factors were used: Section of the tree, type of solution, and immersion time of the sample, to establish the combination that allows better and more excellent visualization of microscopic anatomical structures. The results of the study show that the species Aspidosperma rigidum Rusby has grooves in the trunk and latex. Anatomically, the wood of Aspidosperma rigidum Rusby has solitary pores, vasicentric and apotracheal paratracheal parenchyma, with intervascular pits. The hydrogen potential (pH) of the wood of Aspidosperma rigidum Rusby turned out to be slightly acidic, and its density classifies the wood as a hardwood.