Tanning Process Research Articles

The Influence of Tanning Chemical Agents on DNA Degradation: A Robust Procedure for the Analysis of Tanned Animal Hide-A Pilot Study.

Illegal wildlife trade is currently on the rise, and it is becoming one of the most lucrative crime sectors. The rarer the species, the higher the demand. Wildlife trade falls under international regulations, such as the CITES convention. Proving that this convention has been violated is a complex process and can be very difficult to do. DNA analysis methods remain (in many cases) the only way to determine whether a certain specimen originated from a protected animal species, a specific individual, or a species in which it is legal to trade. Tanned animal hides are a specific type of specimen. With this type of biological material, obtaining amplifiable DNA is often difficult. This pilot study aimed to map the effect of the chemicals used in the tanning process on the degradation of the DNA yielded from such samples. The DNA was quantified using two different approaches: qPCR and Qubit fluorometry. The degree of DNA fragmentation was assessed by determining the degradation index. The results indicate that reagents containing chromium have the greatest influence on DNA degradation. However, by using the presented protocol, enough amplifiable DNA can be obtained from hides treated with aluminum-based reagents.

Optical fiber gas sensor with multi-parameter sensing and environmental anti-interference performance

Formic acid finds widespread applications in numerous fields, including the petrochemicals production, rubber industry, and leather tanning process, in which the operational environments are complex and diverse. The corresponding industrial systems are often intricate and highly integrated. Indeed, formic acid gas is insidious and poses a hazard to both operating personnel and industrial equipment. The existing detection technologies for formic acid gas suffer from inherent technical limitations, making it challenging to effectively shield against industrial interference in complex environments while accurately conveying information. Furthermore, the simultaneous transmission of essential environmental data alongside formic acid gas concentration remains a formidable challenge, which is crucial for facilitating the integration and simplification of industrial system. In response to the aforementioned challenges, this research firstly employs an optical fiber structure (SNS: single mode fiber-no-core fiber-single mode fiber) with natural resistance to electromagnetic interference as the substrate. Subsequently, considering the characteristics of spectral variations and the response mechanism of formic acid gas, and addressing the issue of humidity interference of the current-stage sensors based on sensitive material, the chitosan and chitosan@PDMS are chosen as sensitive membranes. Finally, a correction formula was introduced to address the temperature and humidity coupling issue of the sensor, resulting in the successful development of two formic acid gas sensors. The chitosan-based sensor has a detection sensitivity of up to 7.7 pm/ppm, whose dual parameter detection performance for temperature and formic acid gas has been experimentally demonstrated. It can also correct the humidity-induced detection error in real-time by the correction formula. The chitosan@PDMS-based sensor was fabricated by plating a hydrophobic and breathable PDMS membrane on the surface of the chitosan-based sensor. In addition to maintaining the performance compared to the original sensor (response and recovery time was increased), the latter sensor can effectively resist the humidity interference from the environment. Furthermore, the new capability has been complemented for the simultaneous detection of temperature and humidity. That is, it realizes the dual parametric detection for formic acid gas and humidity, meanwhile providing the compensation ability for temperature change. The proposed sensors have the outstanding sensitivity, selectivity, immunity, and safety. This research not only effectively resolves the interference problem in formic acid gas detection, but also provides a new idea for equipment simplification and information integration in complex industrial systems.

SIMPLE SEPARATION OF Ti(SO4)2 AND FeSO4 FROM H2SO4- FeSO4-Ti(SO4)2-H2O SYSTEM BASED ON SOLUBILITY PROPERTIES IN METHYL ALCOHOL

SIMPLE SEPARATION OF Ti(SO4)2 AND FeSO4 FROM H2SO4- FeSO4-Ti(SO4)2-H2O SYSTEM BASED ON SOLUBILITY PROPERTIES IN METHYL ALCOHOL

Bio-leather: Sustainable clothing fabrics made from simple media ingredients and slime mold Physarum polycephalum

The textile industry contributes significantly to global warming and pollution, especially the leather industry, which uses livestock and toxic tanning processes that have a great environmental impact. Currently, efforts are being made to mitigate the negative impacts of the textile industry by using alternative non-toxic chemicals or by recycling fabric. More recent efforts explore utilization of non-conventional biomaterials and organisms, such as mushroom mycelia, algae or genetically-engineered microorganisms. In this study, we implemented slime mold Physarum polycephalum perfused through leather-like fabrics made from air-dried simple nutritious media in order to develop environmentally friendly, easy-to-manufacture and sustainable fabrics. Plasmodium was validated for its viability and propagation under non-sterile conditions and in contaminated environments on different media compositions made from agar, peach gum, gelatin, carrageenan or glycerol. We determined optimal media components to be agar, gelatin and glycerol which supported plasmodium growth and yielded sturdy and flexible fabric sheets after air-drying. Ultimately, plasmodium-perfused fabric sheets were sewed into apparel and footwear. This study demonstrates the use of simple media as a clothing fabric perfused with plasmodium, which produces intricate colors and patterns on the fabric. Plasmodium has the ability to enhance fabric properties due to its natural problem-solving abilities, such as biosensing, fabric self-repair, and distant fabric communication.

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The study aims at optimizing the uptake of tannins obtained from Piliostigma thonningii by goat skin, using a central composite design. The study was carried out using the central composite design of experiment version 10.0.3.1 which consists of four factors. Bark of Piliostigma thonningii were collected freshly. The barks were dried in an electric oven at a temperature, of 100-105oC and later crushed to powder, to increase the surface area. The samples of goat skin were obtained and were then divided vertically through the backbone into two equal halves, and subjected to the standard procedure of the leather tanning processes. The samples of skin pieces obtained were tanned using the standard procedure of leather tanning. The plant samples were subjected to four experimental conditions, concentration (%), pH, particle size (mm), and time (min). The result indicates that the optimization conditions required for the uptake of tannins by the sample (goat skin) were 20% of plant material, pH of 4.81, 1.988 mm of particle size, and 50 min of time. The optimum responses of the leather produced were 77°C (shrinkage temperature), 27.934 N/mm2 (tensile strength), 13.009 mm (lastomer distention), and 0.293% (water vapor permeability) obtained respectively. Control of these parameters resulted in producing the most stable and flexible leather, which will release fewer contaminants into the environment. Based on the result obtained in the study, Piliostigma thonningii bark can be used as one of the vegetable tanning materials.

Cleaner Leather Tanning and Post-Tanning Processes Using Oxidized Alginate as Biodegradable Tanning Agent and Nano-Hydroxyapatite as Potential Flame Retardant.

In this study, sodium alginate (SA) was oxidized with potassium periodate to produce an alginate-based tanning agent. Using OSA as a biodegradable tanning agent and a nano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HAp) low concentration suspension to give flame retardancy to leather, eco-design concepts were applied to establish a chrome-, aldehyde-, and phenol-free tanning process. Micro-DSC, 1H unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), attenuated total reflection mode Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were used to investigate the complex matrix collagen-OSA-nano-HAp. Micro-differential scanning calorimetry (micro-DSC) was used to assess OSA's ability to interact with collagen and stabilize the collagen-OSA matrix, while 1H unilateral (NMR) was used to investigate the aqueous environment and its limitations around collagen molecules caused by their association with OSA and nano-HAp. Industrial standard tests were used to assess the mechanical properties and fire resistance of the new leather prototype. The findings reported here indicate that both OSA and nano-HAp are suitable alternatives for cleaner tanning technologies and more sustainable leather.

The development of chrome free chestnut and Tetrakis Hydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate based Eco-benign combination tanning system

The replacement of the conventional chromium tanning system with an eco-benign tanning systems has received great attention owing to stringent environmental regulations. In this specific study, a chrome-free combination tanning system based on chestnut and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS) was developed and presented as an effective alternative cleaner tanning technology. Processing of the tanning trials were carried out varying the percentages of chestnut as a tannage, followed by THPS as a re-tannage for process optimization. The leathers obtained were characterized for their thermal stability, grain surface properties using a scanning electron microscope, physical strength characteristics, comfort, and organoleptic properties. Finally, the environmental impact of the tanning systems was assessed through the comparative analysis of their spent liquors. The chestnut-THPS combination system tanned leathers using 20 % chestnut followed by 2 % THPS resulted in maximum shrinkage temperature of 95OC. The hydrothermal stability of the leathers tanned using this combination tanning system were found to be better than those tanned using chestnut and THPS tanning systems alone, respectively. The strength and comfort properties of the leathers produced using the developed combination tanning system were found to be on par with or better than those of conventionally tanned leathers, and the scanning electron microscopic study depicted that the grain surface of the leathers produced were observed to be free of surface deposition. The environmental impact assessment showed that the combination tanning system used resulted in a significant reduction in TS, TDS, TSS, and BOD in the wastewater. This research article has attempted and established the use of chestnut-THPS-based combination tanning systems as an effective, eco-friendly alternative tanning process technology.

Production and biochemical characterization of keratinase enzyme from Bacillus subtilis ES5 and its potential application in leather dehairing process: a clean leather tanning process

The traditional leather industry releases different chemical wastes into the environment, which calls for the use of alternative, nonpolluting processes. The use of biological catalysts in industrial processing has received a great deal of attention in recent years, mainly for environmental reasons. The main objective of this study was to produce and characterize keratinase enzyme from Bacillus subtilis ES5 and evaluate its potential application for leather dehairing. The gene encoding keratinase was validated with a fragment length of approximately 1100 bp. The keratinase exhibited maximum activity at temperature and pH of 45 °C and 8, respectively. Among the tested metal ions, Ca2+ and Mg2+ improved keratinase activity by 132.56 and 111.78%, respectively, at concentrations of 5 mM. β-mercaptoethanol enhanced keratinolytic activity. However, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) significantly inhibited it, indicating that the enzyme is a member of the metalloprotease family. It completely dehaired goat/sheep skins within 14 h, resulting in decreased biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), and overall pollution load by 57.39, 70.53, 93.59, 94.90, and 79.10%, respectively. The results demonstrated the pivotal advantages of this keratinase, addressing environmentally friendly processing and sustainable solid waste management. The improved properties of enzyme-treated dehaired pelts suggest that crude keratinase could be used in ecologically friendly holistic leather manufacturing to avoid the pollution issues associated with the use of chemicals.

Life cycle assessment insights into nanosilicates-based chrome-free tanning processing towards eco-friendly leather manufacture

Chrome tanning system has been faced with great challenges from potential environmental and human health risks and environmental pressures in the leather industry. The development of chrome-free tanning system towards eco-friendly leather manufacture is the main strategy to solve them from the source. However, appropriate assessments of the physical and environmental properties of a new tanning process remain challenging. In this work, we compared the physical performances and environmental impacts of two nanosilicates-based chrome-free combination tanning systems with conventional chrome tanning system in practical fur leather processing. The objective of this study was to obtain comprehensive insights into the nanosilicates-based chrome-free combination tanning systems from both technical and environmental perspectives. All fur leathers possessed similar and integrated fleece structures, ensuring high glossy and flexibility of final fur leather articles. Tara tannin-Zeolite (TA-ZE) combination tanning system was chosen as the most promising one for manufacturing garment leather articles. The resultant leathers were endowed with favorable physical properties (e.g., tear strength of 15.9 N, elongation at break of 42.3%, shrinkage temperature of 98.6 °C) and no restricted Cr(VI) and free formaldehyde. Life cycle assessment (LCA) results revealed that the TA-ZE combination tanning system exhibited better environmental impacts than other options. The main novelties included the contribution to avoiding the use of high-risk tanning chemicals by presenting a better technical and environmental alternative in the leather processing and the application of LCA to environmentally evaluate the leather processing. We envision these findings can offer comprehensive insights into emergent chrome-free combination tanning systems for designing and rationalizing feasible fur leather processing towards eco-friendly leather manufacture.

Extraction and Optimization of Tanning Material from Osyris lanceolata Barks: Cleaner Leather Tanning Processing

Tanning is a processing mechanism that prevents the collagen fibers from putrefaction to maximize the hydrothermal stability of leather. Tannin agents extracted from plants were used in leather production in a process called vegetable tanning. Vegetable tanning is an eco-friendly tanning method when compared to chrome tanning. Chrome tanning is the most common method of tanning hides. Currently, chrome tanning, which is extracted from chrome ores, is used in more than 80–90% of the leather tanning industry, but the most serious environmental issue associated with tanneries is chromium. This implies that the presence of chromium both in wastewater and in leather waste has a significant environmental impact and a high cost for landfills. However, currently, vegetable tanning and other tanning materials take up a 10–20% share of the leather tanning industry. Even today, most commercial vegetable tanning is a mimosa. In this study, a new alternative material and chrome-free tanning process using the barks of the Osyris lanceolata plant barks which reduces the environmental pollution load in terms of wastewater and solid wastes would be introduced. The study also aimed to improve the extraction and optimization mechanisms of tannin material from the bark of the Osyris lanceolata plant, which grows in Dera Hamusit Woreda in Ethiopia’s south Gonder Amhara region. In addition to these, the chemical and physical properties of experimentally treated leather were analyzed. This study’s results show that the bark of Osyris lanceolata contains (18.72%) tannin with 96% tanning strength (96%), and 49 percent purity. Also, leather treated with this tannin showed good shrinkage temperature (84.5°C), and organoleptic properties results such as tensile strength, tear strength, and elongation were 7.1 N/mm2, 19 N, and 45%, respectively. Besides that, the FTIR analysis shows that the bark of the Osyris lanceolata plant has a phenolic compound that is used for tanning purposes. This study clearly shows that extracted tannin from Osyris lanceolata has the potential to be used as an alternative tannin material in the leather tanning industry.

Side-chain Poly[2]pseudorotaxanes containing β-cyclodextrin for more sustainable tanning process

Sustainability of leather lies in how the hide, a sustainable, naturally renewable, raw material, is processed. Tanning chemistry has been a limiting factor for leather sustainability. In this study, a host-guest synthesis strategy was selected to modify one of the most widely used tanning polymer, MIDA DD, and obtain a new hybrid tanning system containing β-cyclodextrin, and leather drastically less impactful on the earth and people. Poly[2]pseudorotaxane Side-Chain Complexes (PSCCs) have been obtained by threading β-cyclodextrin units onto the side-chains of the commercial MIDA DD. The formation of PSCCs in aqueous solution was investigated by using 1D NMR, ATR-FTIR and TGA experiments. The ability of PSCCs to stabilize the collagen matrix was tested at laboratory and industrial pilot scale by micro-DSC, ATR-FTIR and solid-state NMR techniques. The physical and mechanical performance of the obtained crust leather was determined by standard tests used in tanning industry. Side-chain poly[2]pseudorotaxanes showed better tanning performances than the fossil-based MIDA DD, the most effective supramolecular tannins being obtained by mixing β-CD and MIDA DD in ratios close to 1/1 (w/w). The new tanning mixtures allow for significantly reducing both the amount of fossil-based MIDA-DD polymer in the current tanning processes (by 45%) and the free bisphenol content in leather crust (by more than 80%) due to the presence of bio-based β-CD in the composition of the new supramolecular tanning agents. The findings disclosed here pave the way for the CDs’ employment in improving the sustainability of tanning processes.

Recovery and Reuse of Chromium from Tannery Waste Chrome-liquor using Solar Evaporation Process

Recovering and reusing chrome from chrome effluent is critical for improving the mass balance of the tanning process and implementing the zero liquid discharge concept in the tanning industry. Conventional chrome recovery methods require a large amount of chemicals or energy to recycle the chromium. Chrome recovery by solar evaporation has not been implemented yet in the tanning industry. It is mainly practised in seawater salt extraction. In this study, we demonstrate the construction of highly efficient solar evaporators, using photothermal materials. Our focus is on efficient solar-to-vapour conversion and chrome recovery. The average evaporation rate was calculated and found 38.69 mL/hour, which remained almost steady within 2.5 months of data collection. The highest temperature observed during the process was 108 °C and 62°C in the focal region and condenser respectively. After collecting the solid chromium, basicity was measured at 85.02%, and treated with sulphuric acid to achieve 33% basicity. Recovered chrome and fresh chrome at 0:8, 5:3, and 8:0 were used for chrome tanning and tested for various chemical and physical parameters of tanned leather. The shrinkage temperature of the produced leather was found to be more than 100 °C. Physical characteristics such as tensile strength and percentage of elongation test, stitch tear strength, ball bursting strength and flexing endurance showed better results than conventional methods. This new kind of research offers a promising solution that can reduce the environmental impact of the tanning industry while also providing a sustainable source of chromium for a low-cost strategy and high-performance evaporation approach.

Physical Characteristics of Environmentally Friendly Goat Leather Using Powder of Merbau Tree as A Tanning Agent

The leather industry in Indonesia still largely uses chemical substances such as chromium sulfate as the main agent in the tanning process. Tanning is one of the processes of converting raw animal hides into leather that can be used for various products such as bags, shoes, and clothes. Goat leather is one of the conventional leather preferences that has gained increasing consumer interest in recent years. The increasing awareness of the negative impact of chromium tanning agents on workers’ health and environmental pollution has led some leather industries in Indonesia to shift towards vegetable tanning instead of chemical ones. This study examined the use of the Merbau powder that from Merbau wood as an environmentally friendly tanning agent. There are three treatments of goat leathers with three variations of Merbau powder as a tanning agent. Treatment A (Merbau powder with 1.5% tannin), Treatment B (Merbau powder with 2.5% tannin), and Treatment C (Merbau powder with 3.5% tannin). The quality of tanned goat leather was measured by the physical characteristics test: tensile strength, tear strength, and shrinkage temperature. The results show that leather goat leather with the addition of the merbau powder as a tanning agent has tensile strength and tear strength which meets the SNI requirement for footwear leather products. The shrinkage temperature test showed that Merbau-tanned goat leather needs to be more mature compared to the control.

Synthesis and crosslinking of collagen using 4-3,4,5-tris(oxiran-2-ylmethoxy)benzamido)benzenesulfonic acid for the development of robust metal-free leather.

The leather manufacturing sector is actively pursuing organic alternatives to replace the utilization of inorganic tanning chemicals such as chromium, zirconium, and aluminum due to concerns over their environmental impact. Although glutaraldehyde has been considered a feasible alternative, it still falls short in providing the leather with greater tensile properties and is also considered to be toxic. In this study, we report the synthesis of a sulfonated gallic acid-based epoxide (GSE) and evaluate its performance as a metal-free tanning compound. The synthesized compound was subjected to comprehensive characterization using FTIR (functional group), ESI-MS (molecular weight), and NMR (chemical environment) spectroscopy. Furthermore, the leather treated with GSE demonstrated organoleptic and physical properties that were comparable to those achieved with glutaraldehyde tanning systems. SEM analysis of the GSE-tanned leather exhibited a homogeneous distribution pattern, confirming the stability of the collagen. In addition, the hydrothermal stability temperature of leather crosslinked with epoxide was found to be 83 ± 2 °C. The wastewater generated from the GSE tanning process exhibited a BOD to COD ratio of 0.35 ± 0.04, indicating its high treatability. The results showed that the GSE tanning system provided better tanning efficiency and improved crosslinking and thermal stability without the use of metal salts. Furthermore, the use of GSE as a tanning agent offers several advantages, such as easy availability, biodegradability, and low toxicity, making it a sustainable and environment-friendly option for the leather industry.

The potential application of photocatalytic processes in the processing of wastewater in the leather industry: A Review

The leather industry is an industry that is not environmentally friendly. This is due to the large amount of solid and liquid waste produced. In every processing of 1 ton of raw skin into leather it takes about 50-150 liters of water and about 300 kg of chemicals. The chemicals commonly used in the production process are chromium, sulfate, sodium sulfate, lime, ammonium sulfate, sodium chloride, sulfuric acid, formaldehyde, pigments, dyes, and antifungal agents. These chemicals make the intensity of the poison produced per unit of output high. In Indonesia, chromium is a tanning agent that is widely used because it is cheap, the tanning process is fast, and it produces stable leather. Disposing of leather tannery wastewater directly without prior treatment can cause serious environmental problems due to the high content of COD, BOD, chromium and dyes. Leather industry wastewater contains around 500-1000 ppm chromium (VI). Several efforts to treat Cr(VI) waste that have been carried out, such as chemical reduction, ion exchange, adsorption with coal or activated carbon and reduction with the help of bacteria have weaknesses, namely the need for very high energy and/or very large amounts of chemicals. This weakness makes the photocatalytic method more prospective and superior for application. This paper was created to briefly review the environmental risks posed by the leather tanning industry, especially Cr(VI) waste, as well as the potential for the application of a photocatalytic process to remove these pollutant parameters.

Modular design of vegetable polyphenols enables covalent bonding with collagen for eco-leather

Natural renewable materials have been engineered to synthesize functional products because of their wide availability and excellent biodegradability. Particularly, vegetable polyphenols have been regarded as sustainable tanning agents in the leather industry. However, the non-covalent binding nature and high consumption of polyphenols in the leather matrix have limited its potential for replacing chrome tannage. In this work, we developed a series of new polyphenol derivatives by selectively conjugating cyanuric chloride (CC) with phenolic group, and therefore introduced covalent binding moieties in polyphenol for the tanning process. Specifically, polyphenols with different molecular sizes, i.e., tannic acid (TA), ellagic acid (EA), and gallic acid (GA), were modified and evaluated in a comparative study. The obtained triazine-conjugated polyphenol derivatives (i.e., GACC, EACC, and TACC) exhibited appropriate molecular weight (460−1130 Da) and superior stability in the tanning bath (pH ∼8.0), which can effectively penetrate collagen networks. We further investigated the tanning performance of GACC, EACC, TACC, and a commercial triazine tanning agent (i.e., SACC). These polyphenol derivatives exhibited covalent and non-covalent synergistic interaction with collagen, endowing leather with excellent fiber dispersion and overall performance (i.e., thermal stability, organoleptic and physical properties). Of note, the tanning system effectively reduced the dosage of polyphenols and organic carbon emission and improved the biodegradability of wastewater. Together with these outstanding results, we envision that this work will pave the promising way for eco-leather manufacturing.

Evaluation of Tamarindus indica L. Seed Tannins

Tannins are water-soluble polyphenols mostly found in vascular plants and are important raw materials in many industries like leather, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverages. Tannins protect the plant and help its growth. In this study, Tamarindus indica L. seeds were extracted for the determination of tannin content and the tanning strength by the hide powder method. Earlier studies showed that Tamarindus indica L. seeds varied in the amount of tannins present. Mimosa was used as a control. The tanning strength was 1.73 for the tamarind seed extract and 2.06 for mimosa. The tannin content was >10% for both the tamarind seed extract and mimosa. It was concluded that both tamarind seed extract and mimosa had sufficient tanning strength exceeding (1.5) the minimum recommended for a tanning agent hence providing insights as a feasible material for the tanning process.

Amalgamated silica-glutaraldehyde based cost effective leather tanning agent and its sustainable benefits: A metal free collagen stabilisation

Presently, there is a need for development of cleaner and sustainable tanning system by introducing biocompatibility and degradability to the leather without affecting its physical properties. Particularly, tanners seek chrome-free tanning systems due to their cleaner image, market demand, and good physical properties. Amongst tanning agents, silica and its combination have been identified as a greener tanning system. In the present study, a combination tanning system based on surface modified silica and aldehyde has been developed. The main invention lies in identifying a new tanning system based on silica with an amine terminal followed by dialdehyde post treatment with an appropriate post-tanning process. Initially, the silica will stabilize the collagen fibres through multiple hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions. Later, adding aldehyde enhances the bonding between silica and collagen through multiple intermolecular crosslinking. This was further validated by the molecular interaction studies of collagen with a silica-glutaraldehyde combination system. This developed chrome-free tanning process produces leathers exhibiting reasonable thermal stability of around 90 °C with reduced chemical oxygen demand (COD) load and no chromium in the wastewater. Due to the synergistic effect of silica and aldehyde, even the tanned leather exhibited improved antimicrobial activity against gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and gram-negative Escherichia coli. One of the main benefits of this new tanning system is the lower environmental impact with an E-factor of 0.23. Sustainability indicators suggest that the tanning by silica combination found to be environmentally friendly and cost effective method as compared to conventional chrome tanning process.

Agronomic and environmental aspects of organo-mineral fertilizers produced with a by-product of the intermediate process of tanning

IntroductionThe by-product of the intermediate process of tanning (BPIPT) can be used in the manufacturing of environmentally-friendly organo-mineral fertilizers (OMF). However, the presence of potentially toxic elements (e.g., chromium, Cr), can hinder the use of BPIPT in agriculture. This study aimed: i) to evaluate soil chemical and biological properties following the application of fertilizers produced with a BPIPT, in contrast to other OMF produced with traditional organic matrices; and ii) to assess the impacts of such products on wheat growth and nutrition.MethodsSamples (0-0.2 m) of two Oxisols [Red-Yellow Latosol (LVAd) and Red Latosol (LVd)] were used in this study, consisting of two experiments (with five treatments and five replicates) using different OMF, in a sequence: 1) incubation of fertilizers in soil samples for 30 days, and 2) wheat cultivation (30 days) after the fertilizer incubation. The treatments consisted of an arrangement of mineral fertilizers based on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK fertilizers), associated with OMF based on BPIPT (OM-IPT and OM-IPT+S) or commercial manure (OM-CM and OM-CM+S), with or without sulfur (S), and a control treatment. Elemental availability in soils and microbial attributes were determined after the incubation of the OMF in the soils. After wheat cultivation, plant biomass, nutritional composition, β-glucosidase activity, and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA) were measured.Results and discussionThe application of BPIPT-derived OMF in the present study increased available Cr fraction contents in both soils. However, OM-IPT caused low soil acidification, enhanced wheat growth and nutrition, and stimulated microbial activity in soils (FDA and β-glucosidase), thus evidencing the agronomic and environmental benefits of this OMF and their potential to contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable agriculture.

Improving vegetable tannins chemistry: A remarkable advancement in salt-free high tannin fixation

Traditional tanning practices often result in harmful waste products that pose significant environmental risks, including water pollution, non-biodegradable solids, hazardous emissions, and unpleasant odors. However, this study introduces a simple and effective alternative method for industrial-scale vegetable tanning, with the goal of minimizing environmental pollution. This innovative method eliminates the use of common salt and substantially reduces water consumption. The environmental benefits of this new approach are remarkable. It has led to a significant 70% reduction in water usage, a 25% decrease in energy consumption, and complete elimination of chloride discharge. These changes have also contributed to a notable reduction of 60-70% in tanning and treatment expenses. Furthermore, the leathers produced using this method exhibit comparable physical, chemical, and sensory properties to those produced through conventional tanning practices. This eco-friendly approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also offers economic advantages, making it a sustainable choice for vegetable tanning processes.