Investigation of finishing of leather for inside parts of the shoes with a natural biocide

Abstract

The prevention of decrease of quality caused by microbial activity in footwear materials entails the use of biocides. However, these substances may pose a hazard to humans and to the natural environment. The paper presents the results of antimicrobial effect investigation for cowhide leather treated with oregano oil. In these studies oil was applied by spraying onto the finished leather surface and examined to determine its antimicrobial activity by using the Agar Diffusion Plate Test. These results were compared with those where a cowhide leather was treated with oil at the stage of fatliquoring. In addition, the oregano oil toxicity level was assessed and compared with biocides used in the tanning industry. Introducing oregano oil into the leather at the stage of fatliquoring provides a better antimicrobial effect than by spraying, however hygienic finishing of leather can be obtained by introducing oil into the raw material by these both methods. The oregano oil is characterised by the lowest number of hazards and toxicity as compared with commercial biocides. The use of essential oils as natural biocides in the tanning industry seems to be especially important and suitable solution considering the harmful effects of synthetic biocides to humans and the environment.

Application of Chromatographic and Microbiological Analyses to Identify and Assess the Durability of Antimicrobial Properties of Innovative Materials for the Footwear Industry─Leather Modified with Origanum vulgare Oil

“…10 Furthermore, this oil has been shown to have lower toxicity to humans and the environment as compared with commercially available synthetic biocides used in the tanning industry. 12 The most important aspect will be the durability of the obtained antimicrobial effect from the essential oil, especially considering the possible use of such enriched leather for the production of functional footwear dedicated to support the bacterial and fungal infections' treatment of skin and nails. In the world literature, there are no reports of studies on the antibacterial and antifungal activity of leather modified by the addition of essential oils after long-time storage.…”

“…Research work aimed at obtaining leather intended for internal components of footwear, which have long-lasting effect of resistance to bacterial and fungal harmful activity, especially the microorganisms which are hazardous to human health or responsible for deterioration of leather, has also been conducted in Poland. New actual trends in this research concern the use of essential oils and different methods of applying them onto leatherduring bath finishing or by spraying. − The strongest and longest lasting antimicrobial effect of lining leather, verified in tests after storing the samples for 12 months, was obtained by introducing essential oil from the plant species Origanum vulgare at a concentration of 3% by leather mass together with a fatliquoring mixture . Furthermore, this oil has been shown to have lower toxicity to humans and the environment as compared with commercially available synthetic biocides used in the tanning industry .…”

“…New actual trends in this research concern the use of essential oils and different methods of applying them onto leatherduring bath finishing or by spraying. − The strongest and longest lasting antimicrobial effect of lining leather, verified in tests after storing the samples for 12 months, was obtained by introducing essential oil from the plant species Origanum vulgare at a concentration of 3% by leather mass together with a fatliquoring mixture . Furthermore, this oil has been shown to have lower toxicity to humans and the environment as compared with commercially available synthetic biocides used in the tanning industry . The most important aspect will be the durability of the obtained antimicrobial effect from the essential oil, especially considering the possible use of such enriched leather for the production of functional footwear dedicated to support the bacterial and fungal infections’ treatment of skin and nails.…”

A new type of multistage structure hydrotalcite material: To promote the absorption of chemicals in wet leather processing

“…[3,9,10] A kind of adsorption material that can improve the absorptivity of chrome tanning agent, dye, and fatliquoring agent in the tanning process has broad application prospect. [11,12] In the process of leather wet processing, there are anionic and cationic complexes; the penetration of these materials into the collagen fibers and the amount of binding to the collagen determine the tanning properties of the collagen fibers and the dyeing and fattening properties. Finding an auxiliary material that could adsorb both anions and cations is a challenge in the field of high absorption auxiliary materials.…”