Energetic characterization of Matá-Matá wood from the brazilian rainforest (Eschweilera Mart Ex Dc)

Abstract

Despite the great diversity of the Amazon rainforest, only a limited number of tree species is used; resulting in only partial use of forest areas. This has technical, economic and environmental disadvantages. Many frequent species of the Brazilian Amazon are suitable to forest management but are not commercialized due to ignorance about their properties. Matá-matá of the genus Eschweilera Mart. Ex DC., Lecythidaceae, is one of these. We characterized its wood physically, chemically as well as its energetic potential. Matámatá wood’s main chemical component levels, that is: high calorific value (HCV); basic density (BD) and energetic density (ED) were examined, and compared to a Eucalyptus sp. clone wood commonly used for energy. Eschweilera sp. wood had higher values in BD, ED, lignin and mineral content than those of Eucalyptus sp. Matá-matá wood had better physical and chemical characteristics for energy than most woods commonly used in the region.