Notable Presence of Assira Keralta and Professor Véronic Landry at IRG56!
We are proud to highlight the participation of Assira Keralta, a doctoral student in wood engineering and bio-based materials, as well as Professor Véronic Landry, at the 56th Annual Conference of the International Research Group on Wood Protection(IRG56), held in Yokohama, Japan, from June 22 to 26, 2025. Their involvement reflects our institution’s leadership in the field of wood protection and modification on a global scale.
During this major scientific event, Assira presented an oral communication entitled: « Unlocking the Potential of Dairy Coproducts in Wood Modification », resulting from a multidisciplinary collaboration with Johannes Karthäuser, Jérémy Winninger, Julien Chamberland, Marie-Josée Dumont, Holger Militz, and Véronic Landry. This innovative study explores the valorization of dairy coproducts, notably lactose derived from whey, within wood modification processes. By combining these by-products with bio-based acids in an in situ polyesterification reaction, the researchers observed a significant improvement in the dimensional stability and durability of wood. This approach also represents a sustainable and eco-responsible solution to address the environmental challenges posed by waste from the cheese industry.
As part of this event, Assira also authored a conference paper, thereby contributing to the dissemination of his research findings within the international scientific community. His participation in IRG56 was made possible thanks to financial support from the CQMF through a mobility scholarship, as well as the guidance and funding provided by his supervisors, Professor Véronic Landry and Professor Julien Chamberland, in collaboration with Professor Marie-Josée Dumont.
Moreover, Professor Véronic Landry played a key role during the event by chairing two important sessions, 4.4 Analysis and Standards and 2.3 Other Protecting Chemicals, thereby demonstrating her sustained commitment and recognized leadership within the international wood protection and wood science community.
We warmly congratulate Assira and Véronic for their remarkable contribution to this flagship conference, which promotes the advancement of knowledge, scientific innovation, and collaborations worldwide.
Unlocking the Potential of Dairy Coproducts in Wood Modification- Assira Keralta, Johannes Karthäuser, Jérémy Winninger, Julien Chamberland, Marie-Josée Dumont, Militz Holger, Véronic Landy
Abstract– The production of dairy coproducts, such as whey (sweet or acid) and whey ultrafiltration permeate, has significantly increased in response to the rising global cheese consumption. Proteins found in by-products are purified for human nutrition. However, upcycling lactose, which is the major compound of cheese by-products, is more challenging due to the high cost of upcycling processes. Furthermore, their high chemical and biological oxygen demands classify them as potential environmental pollutants. One promising approach to maximize the utilization of lactose is the application for wood polyesterification, especially in combination with biosourced acid. This study investigates the modification of Scots pine sapwood through an in-situ polyesterification reaction using dairy-derived products. The results indicate a solution absorption exceeding 200%, ensuring deep penetration into the wood structure. After curing, the treated samples exhibited significant weight gain, which persists after water leaching. The cell wall bulking remained below 3% across all treatments, contributing to an anti-swelling efficiency of around 40% after leaching. These findings highlight the potential of dairy-derived polyesterification as a sustainable and efficient method for improving wood stability and durability.
To view Assira’s conference paper, click here.