A novel wood identification method for Pterocarpus santalinus L.f. species based on fluorescence features

Abstract The precise identification of wood plays a vital role in protecting rare timber species. Among the various wood identification techniques, the fluorescence characteristics of Pterocarpus santalinus L.f. species have rarely been investigated. In this study, the types, number of fluorescent compounds, maximum excitation and emission wavelengths, and effects of solvent and pH were characterized by fluorescence photographs, fluorescence emission spectra and fluorescence contour spectra, respectively. The results indicate that the fluorescence of P. santalinus species is relatively strong, and the fluorescent substances extracted in different solvents exhibit different color photographs under irradiation. The spectrum is also affected by the polarity of the solvent and the pH of the solution. In addition, the method for extracting the fluorescent compounds in P. santalinus samples was optimized. Based on the reported results, a good correlation between the fluorescence characteristics and the wood species was obtained as a potentially new identification method for precious rosewoods at the species level.