High exhaust chrome tanning using fleshing hydrolysate

Fleshing hydrolysate (FH) was prepared from limed fleshings by an alkali digestion method. The FH that was obtained was in the molecular weight range of 15,000 daltons. It was used as a chrome exhaustion aid in chrome tanning and rechroming processes. Various studies on treated cow sides such as percent exhaustion of chromium, shrinkage temperature, strength properties, and scanning electron micrograph studies were carried out in comparison with control samples. The results showed that chromium uptake of the leather was increased by 10 - 20% in the sides treated with FH and the physical properties were comparable to the control samples.