The chemical composition of smoke and
smoke condensates produced from various
kinds of wood was comprehensively reviewed
over two decades ago (T ó th and Potthast
1984 ). In numerous later publications, the
effect of the conditions of smoke production
prevailing in different generators has also
been investigated.
Wood smoke contains air, water vapor,
CO 2 , CO, and at least several hundred organic
compounds in different concentrations.
About 400 of them have been unequivocally
identifi ed by chromatographic and spectral
analytical methods. The composition of the
smoke depends on the kind of wood used for
smouldering (i.e., mainly on its dryness and
the contents of hemicelluloses, cellulose,
lignin, and resins), as well as on the temperature
and access of air to the zone of oxidation
of the volatile products. The content of water