CLRI develops green tech to process leather

NEW DELHI: Researchers at the Chennai-based Central Leather Research Institute have developed a novel green technology for leather processing which makes use of biocatalysts to reduce the amount of environmental pollutants.

The new process makes use of enzymes which reduces the discharge of hazardous substances during the tanning and pre-tanning steps of leather processing by almost 90%, P Thanikaivelan, senior scientist in CLRI, said.

It uses enzymes such as carbohydrases, proteases and protelytic to replace the conventional steps of soaking (cleansing and re-hydration), de-hairing, bating (removal of unwanted proteins) and degreasing (removal of fat), he said.

"These biocatalysts perform chemical transformations on organic compounds which is otherwise performed by conducting chemical reactions," Thanikaivelan said.

Nearly 70 per cent of emission loads of the conventional leather processing emanates from pertaining operations, according to estimates by leather scientists.

Citing an example, Thanikaivelan said that the process of de-hairing -- which causes maximum pollution in leather processing -- the scientists had used sodium alkali and sulphide as biocatalysts.