Optimization of bovine leather soaking process

High quantities of water, chemical reagents and time are needed in leather processes which result in a huge investment for the tanning industry, therefore it is necessary to optimize it. Soaking is the first stage of leather process, responsible for cleaning and re-hydrating the skin through an aqueous bath. In this work, to study an ecological approach of the soaking step, two different types of soaking were evaluated comparing the traditional method against an enzymatic method. Bactericide, a wetting agent, a degreaser and enzymes were applied on the skins with two ways of preservation, salted skin and green skin. The pH value, conductivity and hide weight were determined to evaluate the process. The enzymatic method showed a better soaking performance giving good indications for an ecological approach of the soaking process.