A potential new commercial method for processing leather to reduce environmental impact.
BACKGROUND
Current leather processing method involves dehairing and fibre opening employing lime and sulphide, which results in higher negative impact on the environment due to its uncleanness. This method of dehairing and fibre-opening process accounts for nearly 70-80% biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in tannery wastewater and also the generation of H(2)S gas.


METHODS
Hence, an attempt has been made to reduce the environmental impact of the leather processing through a biochemical approach, employing proteolytic enzyme and sodium metasilicate for performing the above process more cleanly.


CONCLUSIONS
The developed process exhibits significant reduction in environmental parametres such as COD and total solid loads by 55% and 25%, respectively. This method completely avoids the formation of lime sludge.


CONCLUSIONS
The functional properties of the leathers are also on par with conventionally processed leathers. Further, the process seems to be commercially viable.
Bhavan
Saravana
S
Central Leather Research Institute, Chemical Laboratory, Sardar Patel Road, Adyar, 600020 Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rao
J Raghava
JR
Nair
Balachandran Unni
BU
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D004777:Environment; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013633:Tanning; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control
D017610:Calcium Compounds; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010087:Oxides; D012722:Sewage; D017640:Silicates; C025349:sodium metasilicate; C016538:lime; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D010100:Oxygen; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide