수침목재유물은 해저, 호저, 저습지등에서 발견되며 물속에서 외부로 아무런 조치 없이 나오게 되면 수축과 변형을 일으키게 된다. 따라서 보존처리는 목재내부의 물을 화학약품과 치환하고 강도와 치수의 안정화를 이루는 것이다. 이중 EDTA와 PEG는 수침목재유물 보존처리에 가장 많이 사용되는 약품중 하나이다. EDTA는 발굴출토된 목재의 흑화현상의 원인인 타닌산제2철에서 Fe-EDTA의 형태로 흑화현상을 제거한다. 보존처리 후 발생하는 폐 EDTA 용액으로부터 HCl을 첨가하여 Fe-EDTA에서 Fe3+를 분리해 내고 강산성에서 EDTA가 석출되는 원리를 이용하여 EDTA의 침전물을 획득하여 재활용하였다. PEG는 수침목재유물의 강화처리에 사용되며 목재 내에서 추출되는 착색유기물에 의해 용액의 색이 검은색으로 변화하게 되며, 폐 PEG 용액을 H2O2를 이용한 산화작용으로 용액 내에 존재하는 착색유기물을 분해하고 색을 되돌려 재활용하였다.
Archaeological waterlogged woods found under the sea, in lakes, or in swamp environments are generally weak and fragile. If waterlogged wood materials were taken out of the water and left without modification, they would collapse and lose their original dimensions completely. Conservation is performed to replace the water with chemical agents and to give dimensional stabilization and durability. EDTA and PEG are the most commonly used in the preservation of wood. pH control-precipitation method is used for recovery of EDTA from waste fluid of archeological waterlogged wood conservation treatment. The black substance is eliminated from wood as Fe-EDTA complex are formed and EDTA is separated and precipitated from Fe-EDTA complexes at pH 2.68 or less. The result of analysis of the precipitated products and the commercial EDTA by FT-IR and FE-SEM showed that precipitated product by pH adjusted was not a type of Fe-EDTA complex, but pure EDTA. Waste fluid produced in PEG treatment shows the black color and has an offensive odor by organic matter extracted from wood. Color of waste fluid is decolored with oxidation reaction by peroxy hydrate. In FT-IR and SEM-EDX of PEG after freeze-drying process, no significant change of functional groups induced from oxidation is observed, and any metal ion does not exist in the solid PEG specimen. The molecular weight of PEG is measured using GPC and viscometry. Properties of PEG before and after preservation treatment, and after oxidation with H2O2 were not changed. Consequently, the peroxidation with H2O2 is a reasonable and simple method to decolor the used PEG solution.