Mathilde Montibus’ testimony

I am also involved in research on health aspects related to wood (indoor air quality from a microbiological point of view and the food contact of packaging).

These subjects are major issues and problems for our industry because of the health crisis we are experiencing.

Thanks to our well-equipped laboratories (with collections of pathogenic organisms, equipment for DNA identification analyses, testing grounds), we participate in numerous projects.

Within the framework of the OPTHYMUM project (financed by ADEME), we are working on the building systems used in the French overseas departments and territories by making the link with the particular climatic conditions, the uses of the habitat and the respiratory pathologies that the inhabitants may encounter. The BioForBois laboratory is involved in this project to analyse the moulds that may develop thanks to our molecular biology equipment.

Together with our partners in the European CLICKdesign Project, we are investigating the insect resistance of various wood and wood-based building materials to develop a risk modelling tool for buildings.

In connection with the “Trees in the city” theme, we are working for the PRAETOR project (financed by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region) on the evaluation of pathologies (insects and fungi) that can affect trees in urban or semi-urban areas.

We are also involved in field trials in the forest on pine species (Secoeurpin project). In conjunction with APEP and FNB and in partnership with professionals, we have been monitoring different species of French pine and Scandinavian pine treated and exposed on the Ile d’Oléron under real conditions of use for the past seven years.

The idea is to let them age for another three years and to study the differences in resistance to biological attacks observed between these species.