Knowledge Agora



Scientific Article details

Title From leather wastes to leather: enhancement of low quality leather using collagen recovered from leather tanned wastes
ID_Doc 26796
Authors Gargano, M; Florio, C; Sannia, G; Lettera, V
Title From leather wastes to leather: enhancement of low quality leather using collagen recovered from leather tanned wastes
Year 2023
Published Clean Technologies And Environmental Policy, 25, 9
DOI 10.1007/s10098-023-02552-w
Abstract Leather industry produces huge amounts of solid wastes. In the last decade, several methods for the recovery and valorization of these wastes were developed, mainly focused on the extraction of collagen using chemical methods. The extracted collagen, due to its poor quality, is mostly used in agriculture as a nitrogen source ingredient of fertilizers. This study aims to apply collagen, extracted from leather tanned solid wastes using a recently reported new process based on enzymatic hydrolysis, as filling agent for low quality leather. Thanks to the enzymatic hydrolysis, collagen can be extracted without affecting its integrity and, therefore, its quality. In order to use the extracted collagen as filler for low quality leather, an enzymatic mediated cross-linking reaction between collagen and casein was developed. The enzymatic cross-linking reaction was added as an additional phase of the re-tanning process or as a replacement of one of the re-tanning steps. To evaluate the filling effect, thickness of the treated leather was measured and infrared and microscopy analyses were performed, comparing the new methods to the traditional standard one. The mechanical properties of the filled leather were tested and the sensorial features, such as fullness and touch feelings, were estimated through a panel test. Results suggest the high potential of extracted collagen to be employed back in leather processing both as additive and as substitutive filler. [GRAPHICS] .
Author Keywords Waste re-use; Clean process; Enzymatic cross-linking; Circular economy; Closed-loop
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:001000360400001
WoS Category Green & Sustainable Science & Technology; Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences
Research Area Science & Technology - Other Topics; Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology
PDF
Similar atricles
Scroll