Preparation and Characterization of Eco-Friendly Ash Salts for Goat Skins Preservation
Franco John Unango1, Ramesh Duraisamy2, Karthikeyan M. Ramasamy3

1Franco John Unango, Department of Chemistry, College of Education, University of Bahr El Ghazal, Wau, South Sudan, North Africa. 

2Ramesh Duraisamy, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, East Africa.

3Karthikeyan M. Ramasamy, Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia, East Africa.

Manuscript received on 09 September 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 18 September 2019 | Manuscript Published on 11 October 2019 | PP: 184-190 | Volume-8 Issue-11S September 2019 | Retrieval Number: K103909811S19/2019©BEIESP | DOI: 10.35940/ijitee.K1039.09811S19

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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Abstract: Worldwide, mostly skin is preserved using NaCl which is polluting the environment by increasing soil salinity, affecting water body, releasing of more than 40 % TDS and 55 % Cl- . In the current study, plant derived ash salt from Acacia albida and Acacia bussei was used as salt-less and less salt formulations for curing goat skins, proving effective alternative to the conventional preservation with NaCl. Ash salt was prepared by burning the plants’ stems and leaves completely into ashes, soaked in water and then filtering; then boiling to evaporate water to get an ash salt. The ash salt demonstrated better antibacterial properties in preserving goat skins for 21st days without disintegration. Moisture contents were reduced to less than 30 %, nitrogen content and bacterial counts were sound and stood in a normal unaffected range and preserved skins were later processed and chrome tanned into crust upper leather. The physico-mechanical and chemical properties of all crust leathers were tested and the results met the standard requirements. The shrinkage temperatures (Ts) of all the prepared and preserved goat leathers were shown to be above 90 0C. Organoleptic properties were also analyzed and were shown much better. The pollution loads of soaking liquors were assessed and there was dramatic reduction in levels of total solid, total suspended solids, chloride, total dissolved solid, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand released along with the wastewater with the significant variations (P > 0.05).

Keywords: Putrefaction, Moisture Content, Ash Salt, Goatskin, Pollution, Preservation, Collagen.
Scope of the Article: Bio-Science and Bio-Technology