Termiticidal Activity of Vinegar from Ketapang Wood (Terminalia catappa) under Different Pyrolysis Temperature

Termites are known to cause severe damage to wood, which is a serious problem. Termites have been kept out of wood by using synthetic insecticides, but this practice has caused environmental concerns. Therefore, it is necessary to create innovative, environmentally acceptable methods for wood preservation to prevent environmental pollution. The objective of this study was to determine the total phenol and total acid content of vinegar derived from ketapang wood (Terminalia catappa) and assess its termiticidal efficacy against Coptotermes curvignathus at various pyrolysis temperatures. Wood vinegar production is carried out using a pyrolysis instrument. Specifically, 1,000 g of 1.68 mm air-dried ketapang wood particles were placed into a pyrolysis reactor and pyrolyzed to 400, 425, or 450 °C for 180 min. The vinegar types were evaluated at different concentrations (ranging from 2.0–10.0%, v/v) against C. curvignathus in a no-choice test. The study findings indicate that the most effective termiticidal activity of ketapang vinegar was observed at a pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C and a concentration of 10%. The highest termite mortality activity and the lowest amount of mass loss in the treated filter paper were 92.27 and 32.69%, respectively.