Natural decline of volatile acids due to aging of living trees

Abstract

Wood age, i.e., number of years that have passed after the annual rings of xylem tissue developed from cambium, had a strong negative impact on the volatile acid content of wood of the two oak species, Quercus petraea and Q. frainetto. Up to 80% of acetyl groups were cleaved off in the heartwood zones close to the pith if the living oak trees were about 200 years old.