Live wood is composed of a network of hardened cells designed for two purposes: to provide structural support and to transport water and nutrients. The same network comes into play in treating wood products with borates. Borates' solubility allows them to diffuse through wood's cellular network to provide integral protection

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Borates also act at the biological level. They are essential plant micronutrients that help growth, and yet they are effective preservatives that can prevent growth. Insights into boron chemistry suggest that both effects are likely to result from the same biological property. In solution, borates form negative ions which can link with certain organic substances containing alcohol groups. Scientists suggest that this could be one of boron's important - and essential - roles in regulating plant metabolism. If the borate concentration is massively increased, regulation turns to inhibition and stop cells from growing. Stopping cell growth rather than killing the cell makes borate a biostat, rather than a biocide.

To learn more about borates' biological mode of action, click here.