Impregnating bamboo

[dincbee]

Hi all,
I had my first try in impregnating bamboo with a mixture of CuSo4,sodium hydroxide and boric acid.I got the tip from ARTI, an association in India. My doubts are the level of toxicity.Is it a safe method. Secondly,I observed that the bamboo absorbed a lot of the chemical,so much that after 3 days soaking,only about half the original volume left. The bamboo are cut into 12' length,and soaked in a long tub 10 pcs at a time. each piece is about 4'' in diameter.
Thirdly,this process is a bit pricey.
The bamboo treated with these chemicals are supposed to last up to 20 - 50 years. True?.My second treatment is soaking a fresh batch of bamboo into water added with hydrated lime.I don't know if this will work. Any advice will be appreciated.
I want to use these bamboo for fencing and construction of a gazebo,if I can.

[BlueToy]

I have read stuff on boric acid (products like Boracare, I think) that it's safer to use than, say, Solignum for anti-pest treatments - if you pour it over a living tree infested with termites, it gradually kills the whole colony but not the tree. The main problem is that it's a bit hard to "melt" and that it leeches away in time. Also, I don't think you can varnish over it so as to keep the boric acid "inside" the bamboo.