Use of Leather Residue in the Manufacturing of Soil-Cement Bricks

Abstract

This work is an analysis of incorporation of leather powder residue to soil in order to apply it in soil-cement bricks. The leather powder is a byproduct of the finishing step of leather manufacturing that contains chromium in its composition. This element, when in its hexavalent form, is carcinogenic. Experiments were performed regarding brick pressing, water absorption, simple pressing, leaching and solubilization so that the mixtures have the minimum requisites for using the brick. The doses were 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30% in volume of leather powder in soil. Only the 10% dose met the requisites of ABNT: NBR 8491:1984 that prescribes a minimum resistance of 2 MPa and absorption content lower than 20%. For this dosage, according to the limits stated in ABNT regulation NBR 10004:2004 , the leaching extract was classified as a Class II non-inert, which makes it possible to use it for civil construction purposes.