Preparation and characterization of eco-friendly ash salts for Goat skins preservation

Abstract

Worldwide, mostly skin is preserved using NaCl which is polluting the environment by increasing soil salinity, affecting water body, releasing of more than 40 % TDS and 55 % Cl-. In the current study, plant derived ash salt from Acacia albida and Acacia bussei was used as salt-less and less salt formulations for curing goat skins, proving effective alternative to the conventional preservation with NaCl. Ash salt was prepared by burning the plants’ stems and leaves completely into ashes, soaked in water and then filtering; then boiling to evaporate water to get an ash salt. The ash salt demonstrated better antibacterial properties in preserving goat skins for 21st days without disintegration. Moisture contents were reduced to less than 30 %, nitrogen content and bacterial counts were sound and stood in a normal unaffected range and preserved skins were later processed and chrome tanned into crust upper leather. The physico-mechanical and chemical properties of all crust leathers were tested and the results met the standard requirements. The shrinkage temperatures (Ts) of all the prepared and preserved goat leathers were shown to be above 900C. Organoleptic properties were also analyzed and were shown much better. The pollution loads of soaking liquors were assessed and there was dramatic reduction in levels of total solid, total suspended solids, chloride, total dissolved solid, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand released along with the wastewater with the significant variations (P > 0.05).