English

Kimaiga Obiero Dennis,Nyarong̛I Ombui Jackson,Steven Onyuka Arthur,Asava Sasia Alvin

doi:10.5897/ajb2016.15406

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the potential use of Plectranthus barbatus Andrews, a plant growing locally in Kenya as a vegetable tanning agent. The aim was a deliberate attempt to adopt green chemistry and provide cheap locally available eco-friendly tanning materials. Anova statistical test (α<0.05) was used to compare the physical properties of leather tanned with three kinds of liquors made from the plant and the following mean values were recorded: Shrinkage temperature of 61.5 to 67.5°C; Grain crack range of 7.5 to 8.7 mm; Grain burst range of 7.9 to 9.1 mm; tear strength of 41.8 to 78.2 N with percentage (%) elongation of 68.4 to 75.9%; tensile strength of 17.6 to 40.8 N/mm2 with % elongation of 15.9 to 42.2% and thickness of 0.7 to 1.2 mm. The study concluded that P. barbatus Andrews leaves have adequate tannin content of hydrolysable type required for tanning. Furthermore, the brown colour of the leather produced is unlikely to undergo saddening as usually observed in Mimosa because of relative stability of hydrolysable tannins to light.   Key words: Shrinkage temperature, distension, pelts, tannins, vegetable tanning, pyrogallol.

Highlights

Conversion of hides and skins into leather involves modification and partial purification of collagen in the beamhouse followed by stabilization through introduction of tanning agents that cross-link its fibres to prevent decomposition and confer versatility
Duplicates of bated goat pelts were tanned in separate drums for each category of liquor prepared by dissolving ground dried leaves, stems and a mixture of leaves and stems of Plectranthus barbatus Andrews sourced from Nyamira County in Kenya
The thickness of the leathers was a significantly different (p=0.0) among the four types of leathers with Mimosa tanned leathers having the highest mean value of 1.1 mm followed by P. barbatus Andrews stem extract tanned leathers at 1.0 mm while leaves extract tanned leather was the thinnest at 0.7 mm with an overall coefficient of variation of 38.6%

Summary

Introduction

Conversion of hides and skins into leather involves modification and partial purification of collagen in the beamhouse followed by stabilization through introduction of tanning agents that cross-link its fibres to prevent decomposition and confer versatility. Duplicates of bated goat pelts were tanned in separate drums for each category of liquor prepared by dissolving ground dried leaves, stems and a mixture of leaves and stems of Plectranthus barbatus Andrews sourced from Nyamira County in Kenya.

Results

Conclusion