Analytical Pyrolysis As a Method to Characterize Tannery Wastes

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to study the thermal decomposition of waste products from leathers tanned with different tanning agents, from two different points of view: (i) thermogravimetric analysis and (ii) flash pyrolysis using a Pyroprobe device connected to a gas chromatograph with a mass spectrometer (Py/GC-MS). Both techniques allow us to characterize the samples by evaluating their potential differences regarding the decomposition process as well as by identifying the significant volatile compounds obtained depending on the tanning processes. The results have been treated using a multivariate statistical analysis method.

Thermal characterization of new, artificially aged and historical leather and parchment

“…The crosslinked network structure of a macromolecular chain favors the char forming reactions under thermal decomposition in inert atmosphere [27]. Furthermore, the increased amount of carbonaceous residue of leather might originate from the residue of the tanning agent as well [28]. 2 illustrates the evolution of the most important low molecular mass products during the thermal decomposition.…”

Pyrolysis of biocollagenic wastes of vegetable tanning. Optimization and kinetic study

“…3. Vegetable tanned leather, which shows the weakest bonding (hydrogen bridge bonds and dipolar bonds) between the tanning agent and the collagen protein compared to other tanning products, also exhibits the lowest thermal decomposition temperature [15]. From 500 • C up to the final temperature of the experiment, the material undergoes a slow decomposition, probably due to certain slow processes such as the restructuring of the char, the desorption of some volatiles previously retained by the char, etc.…”

“…Oliveira et al used wet blue leather waste to obtain two types of materials: black carbon by controlled pyrolysis and a chromium-containing activated carbon by activation with a CO 2 stream [13]. Marcilla et al studied the analytical pyrolysis of tanned-leather using a Pyroprobe device, to compare the effects of different organic and inorganic tanning agents [14,15]. Marcilla et al also evaluated the pyrolysis of chromium-tanned wastes and a commercial collagen to study the effect of the tanning process [16].…”

Analysis of Selected Properties of Fibreboard Panels Manufactured from Wood and Leather Using the Near Infrared Spectroscopy

“…A seminal way to upcycling by-products seems to be the usage of waste materials, such as chicken feathers and leather shavings, which occur in the meat industry [13,14]. Also, in the leather and tannery industry, a huge amount of waste incurs every year, alone in Europe more than 200 000 tons a year [15].…”

“…Also, in the leather and tannery industry, a huge amount of waste incurs every year, alone in Europe more than 200 000 tons a year [15]. This waste is then disposed together with other urban wastes [16]. To produce a wood based panel out of a mixture of wood fibres and leather particles is a quite new idea, which was patented by Lackinger [17] in the year 2009.…”