Citric Acid as an Effective and Safe Fixing Agent in Vegetable Tanning Process of Goatskin

Abstract

Formic acid is known as a fixing agent in vegetable tanning process but this material is corrosive and irritant. Citric acid has the potential to be developed as an alternative fixing agent. This research aims to study the ability of citric acid as an alternative fixing agent in the tanning process, especially vegetable tanning of goatskin. The tanning process was carried out by the drum method. Pickled goatskins were tanned with mimosa and then fixed with citric acid. The concentration of citric acid varied from 1%; 1.5%; 2%; 2.5%; to 3%, to determine the optimum concentration. A fixing agent of 2% formic acid was used as a control. The results show that the control skin had similar characteristics to the treated skin. Physical properties of T4 have met the standard of SNI 0253-2009. It can be concluded that the optimal concentration of citric acid that can be used as an alternative fixing agent in vegetable tanning process of goatskin is 2.5%.