Evaluation of the effect of inner and outer bark extracts of sugar maple (Acer saccharum var. saccharum) in combination with citric acid against the growth of three common molds

The bark of trees is an abundant material for chemical by-products. The combination effects of different concentrations of Acer saccharum var. saccharum inner (IB) and outer (OB) bark acetone extracts with citric acid (CA) applied to Leucaena leucocephala wood were evaluated against the growth of three common molds (Trichoderma viride, Fusarium subglutinans, and Aspergillus niger). IB, OB, and CA solutions were prepared at 0.25% and 0.5% and their combinations were formulated in equal amounts. Acetone extracts of IB and OB were analyzed for their chemicals composition and phenolic compounds using GC/MS and PHLC, respectively. The IB acetone extract contained 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone (31.67%), palmitic acid (15.52%), and linoleic acid (11.14%), while the OB acetone extract contained 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (9.34%), (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-ol (8.86%), and cis-tetrahydro-6-methoxy-2H-pyran-3-ol (5.72%). The HPLC analysis indicated the presence of 14 phenolic compounds in IB extract with major constituents caffeine (362.88 mu g/g extract), and p-hydroxy benzoic acid (358.06 mu g/g extract), while OB contained 12 compounds with major constituents p-hydroxy benzoic acid (8950.5 mu g/g extract), gallic acid (5261 mu g/g extract) and salicylic acid (572.38 mu g/g extract). High total phenolic content in OB (292.67 mg GAE/g) was associated with high antioxidant activity with an IC50 values of 1.77 and 4.14 mu g/mL, as measured by DPPH and beta-Carotene-linoleic acid, respectively. The combination treatment of IB0.25%+ OB0.25%+CA0.25% produced the highest antifungal effects against growth of T. viride with an inhibition percentage (IP) of 10.37%, IB0.5%+CA0.5% (IP 16.66%) with F. subglutinans, while CA0.5% and OB0.25%, showed IP of 27.77% and 23.70% with A. niger, respectively. The combination effects of IB, OB and CA could be used as biocide agents for preventing mold growth on wood.