A contribution to the identification of charcoal origin in brazil i – Anatomical characterization of corymbia and eucalyptus

Abstract

Charcoal is one of the main forestry products and Brazil is the world’s largest producer. Its production from native species is estimated at 30-35% of total output. One of the major problems of the iron and steel industry is charcoal consumption, especially in terms of environmental and social aspects. Therefore, the use of reforestation species must be increased. Considering most of the energy forests in Brazil are planted with eucalyptus, the present work aims to contribute to the identification of charcoal origin through anatomical analysis of Eucalyptus  and Corymbia. The wood samples were carbonized in a muffle furnace during 7h to a maximum of 450ºC. Anatomical analysis was done according to IAWA Committee. We found few works with charcoal anatomy and the species analyzed were not characterized. The results on charcoal are very close to previous studies of wood anatomy. But, we recommend the comparison of materials of similar features, enhancing the visual acuity, particularities of each material and modifications that might happen. We believe that this analysis is an accurate tool to identify the source of charcoal and can help to guarantee the sustainability of the charcoal supply chain.